Clean Energy Ministerial

Ministers Report on Progress at the Second Clean Energy Ministerial in Abu Dhabi

7 April 2011

Energy ministers and high-level representatives from Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) governments came together at the second Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM2), held 6–7 April 2011 in Abu Dhabi, UAE, to report on progress in accelerating the transition to clean energy technologies and to plan future activities. Discussions centered on three themes:

• Smart policies for clean energy supply
• Smart policies for energy efficiency
• Strategic deployment of public finance for clean energy

During the event, ministers also announced renewed support for CEM’s 11 collaborative clean energy initiatives and participated in a series of public-private roundtable discussions and a forum highlighting the role of women in clean energy.

Smart Policies for Clean Energy Supply

Participants explored opportunities for expanded cooperation on renewable energy and carbon capture, use, and storage. Ministers noted the progress that CEM initiatives have made on resource assessment and capacity building efforts related to wind and solar energies, hydropower, and bioenergy. Many ministers also endorsed recommendations from the Carbon Capture, Use, and Storage Action Group on the need for international cooperation to advance policies and financial mechanisms, and develop regulatory frameworks for safe, long-term geologic storage of carbon dioxide.

Smart Policies for Energy Efficiency

Ministers agreed on the need for ambitious domestic action on appliance and equipment efficiency to increase energy savings and reduce life-cycle costs. They endorsed the Super-Efficient Equipment and Appliance Deployment Initiative as a means of facilitating and tracking international cooperation on information sharing and best practices on standards, labeling, and other policy tools.

Ministers noted the importance of continued efforts to drive efficiency in commercial buildings and the industrial sector, highlighting the Global Superior Energy Performance Partnership’s establishment of working groups focused on energy efficiency in specific sectors (power, steel, and cement).

Ministers discussed the importance of smart grids to achieving both greater end-use efficiency and increased integration of renewable energy resources, and highlighted the establishment of the International Smart Grid Action Network as an International Energy Agency (IEA) Implementing Agreement.

Ministers also discussed progress in the Electric Vehicle Initiative (EVI), including electric vehicle (EV) demonstrations in pilot cities. The upcoming first International EV Pilot Cities Forum in Shanghai was highlighted as an opportunity to share experiences and lessons learned from EV demonstration and deployment programs in urban areas.

Strategic Deployment of Public Finance for Clean Energy

Participants emphasized the need for smart allocation of public funds to catalyze clean energy market development, including the importance of leveraging private-sector investment. The Solar and LED Energy Access Program was highlighted as an example of how relatively modest, targeted investments can create new self-sustaining markets while providing vital clean energy services. Ministers also emphasized the importance of improving the understanding of global research and development spending in clean energy innovation and deployment in order to prioritize national investments to accelerate the pace of the clean energy transition. The IEA presented the Clean Energy Progress Report: IEA input to the Clean Energy Ministerial, a first assessment of global investments in clean energy, drawn from data submitted by CEM governments.

Public-Private Roundtables

The role of the private sector and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) was an essential component of CEM2. Energy ministers, government officials, business leaders, and experts from NGOs came together in four high-level roundtable discussions. These discussions focused on policies supporting the global scale up of renewable energy, technologies for energy efficiency, sustainable cities, and regulatory strategies for utility-scale energy efficiency. Each roundtable was co-chaired by one or more ministers together with one or more counterparts from leading positions in the private sector. The discussions sought to identify a small number of specific recommendations for action.

Readouts from these discussions were presented at the ministers’ opening session and will help shape the initiatives’ work over the coming year.

A summary report prepared by the World Economic Forum summarizes key discussions and recommendations from the roundtable discussions. View report: Public-Private Roundtables at the Clean Energy Ministerial Meeting.

Public Forum on the Role of Women in the Clean Energy Revolution

A high-level public forum on "The Role of Women in the Clean Energy Revolution" highlighted women’s contribution to clean energy and steps that can be taken to prepare, inspire, and connect women leaders in clean energy fields. This event featured three female ministers and eight distinguished panelists from clean energy-related fields who participated in conversations about policies and programs to enhance women’s leadership in clean energy around the world.

Hosts for CEM4 and CEM5 Announced

At the conclusion of the meeting, India announced that it would host the fourth Clean Energy Ministerial in 2013, and Korea announced that it would host the fifth Clean Energy Ministerial in 2014, demonstrating continued commitment to the initiatives and the CEM process.

Participants

Ministers and senior officials from Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, the European Commission, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Norway, the Russian Federation, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States attended the meeting. Observers from the IEA, the International Renewable Energy Agency, and the International Partnership for Energy Efficiency Cooperation were also present.