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Sustainable Energy

Introduction

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UNECE’s work on sustainable energy is designed to improve access to affordable and clean energy for all and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the carbon footprint of the energy sector in the region. It promotes international policy dialogue and cooperation among governments, energy industries and other stakeholders.  The focus  is on energy efficiency, cleaner electricity production from fossil fuels, renewable energy, coal mine methane, gas, classification of energy and mineral reserves and resources, and energy security.  Read more

 

In focus

UNECE Resource Management Week 2023

The UNECE Resource Management Week 2023 “Assuring sustainability in resource management”, including the 14th session of the Expert Group on Resource Management (EGRM-14) will be held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, 25-28 April 2023.

Register now!

Platform on Resilient Energy Systems

The time is now for countries to implement policies to build resilient energy systems that provide reliable and affordable access to energy, enhance quality of life and economic growth, and minimize the overall environmental impact of the energy sector.  

According to the UNECE Carbon Neutrality Toolkit, attaining net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 is still achievable if we act now.  

A resilient energy system is one where energy makes an optimal contribution to a country’s social, economic, and environmental development. It consists of:  

  1. Energy security allows reliable energy needed for economic development 
  2. Affordability of green energy reduces the costs of electricity, heating, cooling, and transport while increasing systemic energy efficiency
  3. Environmental sustainability lowers the carbon footprint across the energy supply chain

UNECE Expert Groups have united to create five recommendations to build a resilient energy system: 

  1. Prioritize and maximize the implementation of energy efficiency solutions to drive down energy consumption. 
  2. Digitalize the energy system and take advantage of increasing consumer digital literacy. 
  3. Accelerate fuel switching to optimize the carbon footprint of end use energy and replace carbon intensive fuels where practical with low- and zero-carbon options.  
  4. Manage resources effectively, sustainably, and with circular economy considerations, using the UN Framework Classification for Resources (UNFC) and UN Resource Management System (UMRMS).  
  5. Accelerate deployment of low- and zero-carbon technologies by scaling renewable energy, nuclear power and advanced fossil fuels with carbon capture, use, and storage (CCUS). 

Documents 

2022 Accomplishments

Did you know that, between September 2021-2022, UNECE Sustainable Energy, in its support for the Committee on Sustainable Energy and through its regional advisory services:

  • Organized the 31st session of the Committee, 5 expert group annual meetings, 73 Bureau meetings, and more than 30 workshops, trainings, and webinars, reaching more than 3000 professionals, nearly a third of which were women?
  • Finalized more than a dozen papers, guidance documents, case studies and reports and a carbon neutrality toolkit that support decision making on how to achieve sustainable energy systems?
  • Launched a new UNECE Sustainable Energy LinkedIn page, gaining more than 500 followers in just a few months?
  • Conducted 19 missions in 10 member States - that involved more than 50 days of on-site support and 100+ meetings, workshops and trainings - resulting in the training of more than 1600 experts?   

Through activities like these, UNECE promotes international policy dialogue and cooperation, and builds capacity on sustainable energy among governments, energy industries and other stakeholders to improve access to affordable and clean energy for all and helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the carbon footprint of the energy sector in the region.

Learn more about these accomplishments here.

Highlights

“Guidance for the Application of the United Nations Framework Classification (UNFC) for Mineral and Anthropogenic Resources in Europe" will assist regional and national authorities to establish and maintain a Project inventory of primary and secondary raw materials Projects in Europe.

UNECE Framework for Building Resilient Energy Systems  maps actions for countries to achieve greater energy security, affordability and environmental sustainability. 

Carbon Neutrality Toolkit: Supporting policymakers to make informed decisions towards the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement.

A Commitment Trifecta Bold action in the three areas that UNECE believes will deliver concrete, near-term outcomes and, longer-term, achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement.

A Push to Pivot: Three long-term initiatives UNECE believes are needed to secure the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development while mitigating climate change.

Overview of Benefits and Challenges for Governments applying UNFC to Renewable Energy Projects and Resources: A joint study by the Group of  Experts on Renewable Energy (GERE) and EGRM explores potential benefits and challenges in applying UNFC for national resource management (in English, French and Russian).

Upcoming Events

06 - 08 November, 2023

Almaty - Kazakh British Technical University
Kazakhstan

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