UNUnited Nations Economic Commission for Europe

Press Release

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UNECE to participate in International Energy Conference
Vienna, 22-24 June

Geneva, 22 June 2009 --

Solar Energy

The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) will actively contribute to the policy discussions at the International Energy Conference 2009, which will be held on 22-24 June 2009 in Vienna.

Organized by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in cooperation with the Austrian Development Cooperation and the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, the conference will provide a platform for high-level policymakers, private sector and civil society representatives from developing and industrialized countries to discuss energy issues in the context of the current global financial and economic crisis.

On 22 June, Ján Kubiš, UNECE Executive Secretary, will be one of the discussants at a high-level panel discussion on “An Integrated Energy Agenda Beyond 2020”.  In his remarks, Ján Kubiš will stress the need for increased international cooperation and highlight the contribution that UNECE initiatives can bring to address some of the world’s most pressing challenges: sustainable development, climate change, and global, environmental and food security.

Improving energy efficiency and securing investments in renewable energy are two of the main ways to address global energy needs in a sound and sustainable manner, thus contributing to achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

On 23 June, Gianluca Sambucini, Secretary of the Committee on Sustainable Energy, Sustainable Energy Division, will present UNECE’s Energy Efficiency 21 project in a session discussing Energy efficiency in industry. Under this project, UNECE is in the process of establishing a privately-managed Euro 250 million public-private partnership equity fund which will target energy efficiency and renewable investment projects in 12 countries in Eastern Europe, Central Asia and South-Eastern Europe.

UNECE recently launched the Global Energy Efficiency 21 Project (GEE21), which aims at transferring its experience to other regions of the world through cooperation with the other United Nations regional commissions.

The UNECE energy efficiency market formation activities also involve capacity building of local experts to develop investment projects, work with local authorities on government policy reforms and to facilitate opportunities for project finance through externally managed public-private partnership investment funds.

The conference aims at contributing to the shaping of global climate policy by providing input to the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP15) in Copenhagen, from 7 to 18 December 2009.

For more information, please contact:

UNECE Sustainable Energy Division
Gianluca Sambucini
Secretary of the Committee on Sustainable Energy
Palais des Nations
CH-1211, Geneva 10, Switzerland
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:  http://www.unece.org/energy/

Ref: ECE/SED/09/P04