Policy Developments and Challenges in Delivering Energy Efficiency

Energy efficiency has never been as relevant as it is today. If the global potential for energy saving can be realised, this would have profound implications for energy security and for avoiding greenhouse gas emissions.

The main challenge for policymakers is how to deliver real, tangible improvements in energy efficiency, but this is a complex task. Our use of energy is part of the fabric of our daily lives and our economies, and our choices about energy depend on a host of factors, including available technologies and information, and the structure and operation of national markets. Changing the way that we use energy is not something that can be done overnight.

Yet this report demonstrates that delivering energy efficiency is possible, and examines in detail the ingredients that can contribute to successful development and implementation of energy efficiency policies and programmes. Drawing upon the experience of countries from Western Europe to Central Asia, along with examples from Japan, Australia and the United States, it provides an invaluable guide to recent developments, current policies and to the challenges that remain.

The analysis is drawn from the work conducted by the Energy Charter on the implementation of its multilateral Protocol on Energy Efficiency and Related Environmental Aspects (PEEREA), and was completed with cooperation from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and from Euroheat & Power.

In line with the request in the Ministerial Declaration adopted in Kiev in 2003, this report was presented to the 2007 Belgrade Ministerial Conference of the UNECE ‘Environment for Europe’ process.

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