UN-Energy
Optional Image
OptionalEntry - table for home page
UN-Energy Meeting, Vienna International Centre
28 August 2007

Draft summary report

I.        Introduction

1.       UN-Energy met at UNIDO Headquarters, Vienna International Centre, on 28 August 2007 (10am – 6pm) as a follow up to its meeting in Rome on 28 June 2007 and the intersessional meeting of the High-level Committee on Programmes (HLCP) in Geneva on 3 July 2007.  The meeting was convened to define UN-Energy’s substantive set of themes, modalities for action, governance issues and capacity of UN-Energy and its work programme, including possible new tasks for the short and medium term.  The meeting took up the following agenda items:

  • Welcome remarks/Opening Session   
  • Session 1: Substantive focus of UN-Energy   
  • Session 2: Modalities, Governance and Capacity of UN-Energy   
  • Session 3: Video-conference session: current and future work programme   

5.       The meeting discussed the substantive focus of UN-Energy and how it should approach energy issues.  Following an exchange of views, the meeting agreed to adopt a cluster approach involving a limited number of issues around which joint work programmes could be developed by the agencies involved, looking to strategic engagement over a foreseeable timetable.  Two to four UN agencies most directly concerned with the issue would lead the work of each cluster and be responsible to the membership of UN-Energy.  The meeting agreed to focus and organize its work along the following clusters:

  • Energy Access and Energy for Africa;   
  • Renewable Energy;   
  • Energy Efficiency; and   
  • Climate Change and Energy   

6.       The meeting discussed but did not conclude on which members would provide cluster leadershiip.  The meeting suggested the following agencies as possible cluster leaders, and encouraged interested members to interact, and if possible also start drafting work programmes, for discussion and decision at the next UN-Energy meeting:

§         Energy Access and Energy for Africa: UNDP and the World Bank;

§         Renewable Energy: FAO and UNEP;

§         Energy Efficiency: UNIDO and the World Bank; and

§         Climate Change and Energy: UNEP and UNFCCC.

7.       The meeting discussed the relationship between UN-Energy/Africa and UN-Energy.  UN-Energy/Africa has been recognised by the African Union and African policy makers and could play a role in the Energy Access and Energy for Africa cluster.  ECA confirmed that UN-Energy/Africa is full part of UN-Energy, with the same governance structure.  Participants agreed on the importance of developing the relationship between UN-Energy and UN-Energy/Africa to promote complementarity of efforts.  Representatives of UN-Energy/Africa would discuss their work programme with UN-Energy to ensure that it complements that of UN-Energy.

IV.     Modalities, governance and capacity of UN-Energy

8.       With the cluster approach as the agreed modality for pursuing the work programme of UN-Energy, the meeting took note of suggestions that are common to the work of all clusters.  The Chairman invited the members to contribute more specific proposals towards the formulation at the next UN-Energy meeting of a more detailed strategic calendar and a new programme of work of the period 2008-9. 

  • The clusters should set strategic objectives over the mid-term, considering joint publications, interventions, dialogue, participation at conferences, workshops and other meetings, including focused interaction with non-UN actors.  The clusters should go beyond joint publications and consider joint seminars and workshops, common toolkits, jointly developed sustainability indicators, joint representation and contributions to energy-related events, and consider joint programme development and fund raising.  
  • Consensus among UN-Energy members would continue to be required for UN-Energy publications.  However, cluster leaders would be empowered to engage in a pro-active manner under the banner of UN-Energy.  Anchoring cluster work with the full UN-Energy membership, through work programmes, strategic calendars and report-backs, is essential to this model of work.
  • Peer reviews and knowledge sharing should be encouraged to enable members to learn and benefit from each other’s experiences.  Similar exchange of experiences and lessons learned should be undertaken with UN-Oceans and UN-Water.
  • UN-Energy should revisit the mapping of agency activities, update the matrices and add an introduction with analysis and commentary
  • UN-Energy engagement with non-UN actors should be stepped up.   

14.     The meeting considered the future governance of UN-Energy in view of the impending completion of the terms of office of the current Chair and Vice-Chair.  The members agreed that there is a need to bring UN-Energy to a higher level of involvement at policy level and that a Head of a UN agency as chair of UN-Energy would lift its level of participation, engagement and accountability as well as possibly raising its profile within and outside the UN system. 

15.     The meeting took note with appreciation of the interest of UNIDO to serve as the next chair of UN-Energy.  Members expressed unanimous support for the Director-General of UNIDO to assume the chairmanship of UN-Energy.  This proposal would go forward for endorsement, with a report from the Chair, to HLCP at its meeting in New York 19-20 September 2007, and to CEB at its meeting end-October.  The new Chair would then take over for the biennium of 2008-9.

16.     Support was also expressed for UNDP to assume the Vice-Chairmanship of UN-Energy.  Mr. Olav Kjorven of UNDP was proposed for the post of Vice-Chair.  The meeting unanimously welcomed with appreciation the proposal.  The meeting also considered the option of having the lead agencies of the clusters serve as Vice-Chairs to raise the level of engagement, ownership and accountability of membership.  The view was expressed that this option required further reflection and consultations.  The meeting agreed to seek the views of the Director-General of UNIDO on this matter.

17.     On secretariat support arrangements, the meeting agreed that UN-DESA should remain as the secretariat of UN-Energy, as laid out in the Terms of Reference for UN-Energy, noting that UN-DESA is well-placed to link and strategically position UN-Energy in the inter-agency and intergovernmental processes in New York.

V.        Video-Conference Session: Current and future work programme

18.     The meeting was informed that the UN-Energy website, which is currently hosted by DESA, will be updated.  Members were invited to submit appropriate material and to add a link to UN-Energy from their websites. 

19.     Members decided to hold their next meeting between the HCLP session on 20-21 September 2007 and the CEB meeting on 26-27 October 2007 with the specific date to be agreed by consultations.  It was decided that concise notes on advancing the cluster approach would be prepared by the agencies concerned and circulated in advance of the next meeting.  The agencies that had already expressed interest in being part of the clusters were invited to prepare the notes outlining their ideas. 

20.     UN-Energy expressed appreciation to UNIDO for hosting its meeting and facilitating the efficient and smooth conduct of the proceedings. 

21.     On behalf of UN-Energy and its members the Chair thanked Mr. Gustavo Best of FAO, Vice-Chair of UN-Energy since 2004, for his outstanding professional contributions to the work of UN-Energy, in particular in the area of bio-energy, and for his support and his guidance.  He wished Mr. Best all good health during his up-coming retirement from FAO

______________________________________

Appendix A

List of Participants

Mats Karlsson, Country Director, World Bank

Gustavo Best, Senior Energy Coordinator, FAO

Mark Radka, Energy Programme Officer, UNEP

John Christensen, Head, UNEP RISOE Center

Henning Wuester, Special Adviser to the Executive Secretary, UNFCCC

Adnan Z. Amin, Director, CEB Secretariat

Georgina Ayre, CEB Secretariat

Ralph Wahnschafft, Senior Economic Affairs Officer, UNDESA

Luis Gomez-Echeverri, Sp. Adviser on Climate Change and Sustainable Development, UNDP

Kamal Rijal, Sustainable Energy Policy Advisor, UNDP

Katharina Thywissen, Consultant, UNU

Holger Rogner, Head of Planning & Economic Studies Section, IAEA

Alan McDonald, Programme Liaison Officer, IAEA

Kandeh Yumkella, Director General, UNIDO

Agerico Lacanlale, Director of the Strategic Planning and Coordination Group, UNIDO

Heinz Leuenberger, Director of the Energy and Cleaner Production Branch, UNIDO

Wilfried Luetkenhorst, Chief of Cabinet, UNIDO

Robert Williams, Chief of the Energy Efficiency Unit, UNIDO

Cahit Guerkok, Sen. Adviser on Energy to the Managing Director, UNIDO

Marina Ploutakhina, Industrial Development Officer, UNIDO

******************

Members participating through the Video Conference

Gianluca Sambucini, Project Manager, UNECE

Mrs. Olga Chepelianskaia, Associate Expert, UNECE

Jacques Moulot, Scientific Affairs Officer, UNECA

Pancrace Niyimbona, Energy Affairs Officer, UNECA

Pranesh Chandra Saha, Chief of the Energy Resources Section, UNESCAP

Anhar Hegazi, Chief of the Sustainable Development and Productivity Division, UN-ESCWA

Mohamad Kordab, Sustainable Energy Issues Team Leader, UN-ESCWA

Kui-Nang Mak, Chief of the Energy and Transport Branch, DESA

Kathleen Abdalla, Chief of the Sustainable Development Strategies Branch, DESA

Luis Jiménez-McInnis, First Officer of the Strategic Planning Unit, EOSG
Mohamend Reza Salamat, Senior Economic Affairs Officer, DESA

 

Enter Text