Press Release 21 June 2007

Contact: Theresa Hedberg, t: +44 20 7734 5996

World Energy Council urges for global policies and
investments to tackle climate change.

The World Energy Council (WEC) has undertaken a Study of Energy and Climate Change, drawing on the collective experience and resources of energy professionals worldwide. It has looked in detail at the impact of existing climate change measures, and how effective they have been in promoting sustainable development, using the criteria of the “3A’s” – accessibility (to affordable energy); acceptability (of the energy sources used, particularly in environmental terms); and availability (how secure and reliable are those sources?).

The study was presented today to a round table of leading media energy experts organised by the World Energy Council in London, attended among others by Yvo de Boer, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Climate Change Convention (UNFCCC).

Gerald Doucet, the Secretary General of the World Energy Council said:
“The ultimate objective is to develop a global regime that fosters new technologies and technology transfer to developing world. It needs to encourage a coherent, comprehensive and sustainable approach, focused on long-term steady reductions in the carbon intensity of the energy system, while ensuring that those systems can still perform the vital task of powering human development worldwide.
Significant investments are required to meet future demand for cleaner energy, which will inevitably lead to higher energy prices throughout the world. But higher prices will serve as a powerful motivating force for greater environmental efficiency.”

Yvo de Boer said:
“The energy choices we make over the next five to ten years will define our emissions future for decades to come. This year’s United Nations Climate Change Conference in Indonesia must launch an agenda for negotiations on a post-2012 regime, with a view to completing the negotiations by 2009. Only then can we send markets the clear policy signals they need to bring global emissions down.”

The World Energy Council (WEC) is the foremost multi-energy organisation in the world today. WEC has Member Committees in over 90 countries, including most of the largest energy producing and energy consuming countries. Established in 1923; the organisation covers all types of energy, including coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear, hydro, and renewable, and is UN-accredited, non-governmental, non-commercial and non-aligned. WEC is a UK-registered charity headquartered in London. WEC Services Limited was established in 2001 as the incorporated trading subsidiary of WEC.

WEC's Mission is "To promote the sustainable supply and use of energy for the greatest benefit of all.”

An executive summary and the entire report is available online to download in PDF format.

For any further questions please contact:
WEC Media contact:
Mathias Hocke: hocke@worldenergy.org
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7734 5996

Stephan Albrechtskirchinger: hocke@worldenergy.org
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7734 5996

UNFCCC Media contact:
John Hay: jhay@unfccc.int
Tel: + 49 (0) 228 815 1404