[Index]
UNECE Energy Efficiency
21 Project and the Kyoto Protocol Implementation
Geneva, 28 June 2005
- Following Russia's ratification
of the Kyoto Protocol, the treaty entered
into force in February 2005: What about
the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol?
The UNECE Steering Committee
of the Energy Efficiency 21 Project (EE21)
will organize on 29 June, jointly with
the Committee on Sustainable Energy, a
special session on the “Implementation
of the Kyoto Protocol, Energy Efficiency
and Climate Change Mitigation” to
discuss on how the EE21 Project can support
eastern European UNECE member States in
boosting energy efficiency investments
to reduce environmental pollution and
also in meeting their international treaty
obligations under the UNECE and the UNFCCC.
In order to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions (GHG) and to develop adequate
energy policy reforms, the national institutional
framework for the Kyoto Protocol flexible
mechanisms, Joint Implementation (JI)
and Emission Trading (ET), needs to be
developed and put in place in UNECE member
States, and promoted through specific
technical cooperation activities in economies
in transition in eastern Europe, south-eastern
Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent
States.
The Convention on Climate
Change sets an overall framework for intergovernmental
efforts to tackle the challenge posed
by climate change. The 1997 Kyoto Protocol
shares the Convention’s objective,
principles and institutions.
During the EE21 special
session, participants will provide an
overview of the issue and the discussion
will focus on how the Kyoto Protocol mechanisms
will contribute to the reduction of greenhouse
gas (GHG) emissions and therefore to the
climate change mitigation effort through
emissions trading, i.e. enabling the countries
to sell and buy emission credits among
themselves.
The Sustainable Energy
sub-programme of the UNECE aims to promote
a sustainable energy development strategy
for the region. Climate change mitigation
efforts are made through the EE21 Project
which has operated since 1991 to enhance
trade and cooperation in energy efficient,
environmentally-sound techniques and management
practices, and to promote energy efficiency
market formation and investment project
development.
During its sixteenth
session (Geneva, 29 June – 1 July
2005), the Steering Committee of the EE21
project will bring together a unique group
of stakeholders to review progress and
provide guidance on the execution of the
project.
Last year a new project
on Financing Energy Efficiency Investments
for Climate Change Mitigation was approved
by the United Nations Foundation (UNF)
and the United Nations Fund for International
Partnerships (UNFIP) Boards and most recently
the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs
and the French GEF (FFEM) has joined with
the UN Foundation to support this project.
The third major partner in this work is
the Global Environment Facility (GEF)
that will participate in EE21 through
the United Nations Environment Programme
(UNEP), one of the GEF Implementing Agencies.
The Energy Efficiency
21 Project is designed to develop the
skills of the private and public sector
experts at the local level to develop
energy efficiency and renewable energy
investment projects. It provides assistance
to municipal authorities and national
administrations to introduce the economic,
institutional and regulatory reforms needed
to support these investment projects.
The EE21 also provides opportunities for
banks and commercial companies to invest
in these projects through professionally
managed investment funds established within
the framework of the EE21 project.
For further information
please contact:
Gianluca Sambucini
Energy Efficiency 21 (EE21)
Industrial Restructuring, Energy and
Enterprise Development Division (IREED)
United Nations Economic Commission
for Europe (UNECE)
Palais des Nations Bureau 348
CH - 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Phone: +41 (0)22 917 1175
Fax: +41 (0)22 917 0178
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.unece.org/ie/
Ref. ECE/IREEDD/05/P05