OREANDA-NEWS.  The International Energy Agency (IEA) welcomes the proposal by the 7th Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) that the IEA serve as the home of a new, multilateral CEM Secretariat starting later in 2016. 

“It is a great honour for the IEA to be asked to take on this prestigious role, given the stature of the CEM and the importance of its initiatives” stated IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol. “The CEM’s position as a global platform to support collaboration and promote the adoption of clean energy policies dovetails perfectly with the IEA’s emergence as a clean energy hub – it represents a perfect marriage. Plus the broader participation in the CEM, which includes all of the major emerging economies, would allow us to take another concrete step towards opening the doors of the IEA to key global energy stakeholders.” Dr. Birol emphasized that the proposal requires the approval of IEA member countries, who will consider it at their Governing Board meeting in Paris later this month. 

Since 2010, the CEM has organised annual Ministerial level meetings to bring together energy ministers from 23 major economies that represent 75% of global greenhouse gas emissions and 90% of global clean energy investment. The aim is to evaluate progress in clean energy and to support energy technology initiatives ranging from smart grids to electric vehicles. These meetings also have included private-sector stakeholders, participating in a range of activities varying from panel sessions to roundtable discussions. The IEA looks forward to supporting CEM in its preparations for CEM8 to be held in China in 2017.