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VIEWS AND OPINION

How to combat the energy crisis, meet climate goals

IEA Global Conference on Energy Efficiency brings together decision-makers as new analysis shows faster

action could cut energy use by equivalent of China’s total demand

Global energy and climate leaders recently gathered in Denmark for a major ministerial meeting which

could drive urgently needed improvements in energy efficiency, with new analysis by the International
Energy Agency (IEA) showing that stronger efficiency measures can reduce energy bills, fuel imports and
greenhouse gas emissions quickly and significantly.

he IEA’s 7th Annual Global Conference on Energy Efficiency (click here to watch
a video of the welcoming remarks and opening plenary session) in Sønderborg,
TDenmark, from 7 to 9 June, brought together more than 20 Ministers from countries
around the world including Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, New Zealand,
Nigeria, Panama, Senegal, Sweden and the United Kingdom – as well as African Union
Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy Amani Abou-Zeid and European Commissioner
for Energy Kadri Simson. Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko addressed the
Conference live via video link, and decision-makers from industry, finance, international
organisations and civil society also participated in the discussions.

Biggest energy crisis since the 1970s
With the world contending with its biggest energy crisis since the 1970s, the focus of the
Global Conference was on how to implement measures quickly to reduce energy use, with
the aim of easing cost pressures on consumers, cutting reliance on fuel imports and driving
progress towards climate goals – while supporting job creation and economic growth.
The new IEA analysis, published to coincide with the Global Conference, underscores the
vital role of energy efficiency and energy saving in meeting today’s crises, by immediately Fatih Birol
addressing the crippling impacts of the spike in energy prices, strengthening energy security
and tackling climate change.
Fatih Birol, the IEAs’ executive director said: “Energy efficiency is a critical solution to must come from improvements in energy
so many of the world’s most urgent challenges – it can simultaneously make our energy efficiency. The good news is that the
supplies more affordable, more secure and more sustainable. But inexplicably, government solutions are there to improve energy
and business leaders are failing to sufficiently act on this. The oil shocks of the 1970s set efficiency in all sectors. We don’t need
in motion major advances in efficiency, and it is utterly essential that efficiency is at the to wait. We need action because the
heart of the response to today’s global energy crisis. The leaders meeting at the IEA Global greenest energy is the energy we don’t
Conference on Energy Efficiency need to make this the moment when the world hits the use.”
accelerator on efficiency – or we may fail to respond to the current energy crisis properly
and pay the price for years to come.” “A third of the reduction needed in CO2
This year’s Global Conference was jointly organised by the IEA and Denmark’s Ministry of emissions this decade must come from
Climate, Energy and Utilities, with support from Danish engineering company Danfoss. improvements in energy efficiency
Dan Jørgensen, Denmark’s minister of climate, energy and utilities said: “It’s no longer a
question of whether we should implement more energy efficient solutions and technologies On the main conference day, leaders in
globally – it’s a question of how we are going to do that. By increasing our energy efficiency, industry, government and civil society
we can reduce our dependence of Russian oil and gas completely and move closer to discussed issues such as buildings of the
achieving climate neutrality. The conference in Sønderborg and the gathering of energy and future, the role of consumer behaviour,
climate leaders from various sectors and all parts of the world is an important step in the and how to unlock financing for efficiency
right direction.” measures. The following day included
Kim Fausing, the president and CEO of Danfoss said: “If the world is to meet climate a unique, closed-door session where
goals to limit global warming, energy efficiency measures must be prioritised. A third of Ministers from around the world shared
the reduction needed in CO2 emissions this decade according to the IEA net zero scenario best practices on how to accelerate

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