International Partnership for Energy Efficiency Cooperation

History

At the Gleneagles (2005) and the St.Petersburg (2006) Summits, the Group of Eight (G8) industrialized countries emphasized the need for global cooperation in the field of 33rd G8 summit at Heiligendamm in June 2007, the G8 approved an EU proposal for an international initiative on energy efficiency and decided to explore the most efficient way to promote energy efficiency worldwide, jointly with the International Energy Agency (IEA).

Since its creation by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in 1974, the IEA has promoted energy efficiency. However its members are all developed countries. The growing economic interdependence among nations, the increasingly globalized energy market and the environmental issues affecting every country make the idea of a worldwide forum particularly relevant. IPEEC provides a forum that opens up a dialogue on energy, economic and environment issues between developed and developing nations as well as the private sector.

One year after the Heiligendamm Summit, on 8 June 2008, in Aomori, at the Energy Ministerial meeting hosted by Japan during its G8 Presidency, the energy ministers from the G8 and from China, India, South Korea and the European Community agreed to establish the IPEEC. In the Aomori Declaration, signed on June 8, 2008, the energy ministers acknowledged that "all countries , both developed and developing, share common interests for improving their energy efficiency performance", and that "developed countries need to play an important role in cooperation with developing countries, accelerating dissemination and transfer of best practices and efficient technologies".

On May 24, 2009 in Rome, the G8 members, China, South Korea, Brazil and Mexico signed the Terms of Reference of the IPEEC. This group signature officially created the IPEEC. The same day, the representatives of these countries also signed the Memorandum' asking the IEA to host the IPEEC Secretariat.

The 9th meeting of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Energy Ministers in Japan in 2010 resulted in the Fukui Declaration that supported IPEEC’s goal by stating that "improving energy efficiency is one of the quickest, greenest and most cost-effective ways to address energy security, economic growth and climate change challenges at the same time".

Membership

Members of IPEEC as of October 2016 are Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, the European Union, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, United Kingdom and United States. Turkey is currently in the process of joining IPEEC. IPEEC is an autonomous partnership of nations founded in 2009 by the Group of 8 (G8) to promote collaboration on energy efficiency. Its membership now includes 16 of the Group of 20 (G20) economies, which represent over 80% of global energy use and over 80% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (OECD, 2015).

IPEEC's work

IPEEC' work covers 6 different sectors. In each of these sectors, Task Groups are the acting entities that carry IPEEC's work. Each Task Group is funded directly by its members and the participation is voluntary.

G20 Action

IPEEC is coordinating the implementation of the Group of 20 (G20) Energy Efficiency Action Plan, which was agreed by G20 leaders in November 2014.

Dedicated task groups are cooperating on six different work streams with the aim of accelerating the adoption of energy efficiency policies. Each task group is directly funded by its participating members and run by officials from IPEEC member countries and other participating nations, with the support of various expert organisations.

The Action Plan established three new task groups to address recognised gaps and emerging challenges, including:

- networked devices, through the Networked Devices Task Group (NDTG);

- transport, through the Transport Task Group (TTG); and

- finance, through the Energy Efficiency Finance Task Group (EEFTG).

Appliances and equipment

The two Task Groups that are involved in this sector are:

- The Super-Efficient Equipment and Appliance Deployment initiative (SEAD); and

- Networked Devices Task Group (NDTG)

Buildings

IPEEC’s work in this sector is led by the Buildings Energy Efficiency Task Group (BEET).

Industry

IPEEC’s work on these issues is coordinated through the Energy Management Working Group (EMWG), which encompasses the Energy Management Action Network for Industrial Efficiency (EMAK).

Power

IPEEC’s current work on the power sector is focused on the dissemination of energy efficient technologies and best practices in thermal power generation through the High Efficiency Low Emissions Task Group (HELE).

Transport

IPEEC’s work in this sector is led by the Transport Task Group (TTG).

Cross-sector

IPEEC currently oversees three task groups aimed at addressing cross-sectoral issues.

- Energy Efficiency Finance Task Group (EEFTG)

- Improving Policies through Energy Efficiency Indicators (IPEEI)

- The Top Ten Energy Efficiency Best Practices and Best Available Technologies Task Group (TOP TENs)