Ad Hoc Inter-Agency Task Force on Energy
Third Session
New York, 13 March 2000

(New York, 13 March 2000)

Contents

1. Introduction
2. Preparation for the ninth session of the Commission on Sustainable Development in 2001

1. Outcome of the first session of the Ad Hoc Open Ended Group of Experts on Energy and Sustainable Development (6-10 March 2000)
2. Review of activities currently in progress and to be undertaken

1. World Energy Assessment
2. Other Activities

3. Review of activities currently in progress and to be undertaken in support of the second session of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources for Development (14-25 August 2000)
4. Progress made in the elaboration of a common system-wide approach to energy and sustainable development
5. Other Matters
6. Next meeting of the Task Force

Annexes

I. Agenda

II. List of participants

III. List of documents

1. The third session of the Ad Hoc Inter-Agency Task Force on Energy of the IACSD was held in New York at the United Nations Headquarters on 13 March 2000. The session was chaired by Ms. JoAnne DiSano, Director, Division for Sustainable Development, UN/DESA. The agenda of the session, as adopted by the Task Force, is contained in Annex I, the list of participants in Annex II and the list of documents in Annex III. The following are the main conclusions and agreements reached at the meeting.

II. Preparations for the ninth session of the Commission on Sustainable Development in 2001

A. Outcome of the first session of the Ad Hoc Open Ended Group of Experts on Energy and Sustainable Development (6-10 March 2000)

2. The Task Force was briefed by a member of the Bureau of the Ad Hoc Open Ended Group of Experts on Sustainable Development on the outcome of its first session, and the . importance of interagency cooperation in preparing for the second session was stressed.

3. The representatives of UN/DESA briefed Task Force and opened the discussion on the outcome of the Ad Hoc Open Ended Group of Experts on Energy and Sustainable Development with regard to the work of the United Nations in the area of energy with specific reference to the preparations for the second session of the Group of Experts to be held in early 2001. It was agreed that the following general considerations should be taken into account in preparations for the second session of the Group.

• Particular attention would need to be paid to the cross-sectoral aspects of the energy and sustainable development agenda, such as financial resources, including foreign investments, capacity building, and transfer of technology, as well as to policy formulation at the national level.

• In determining specific collaborative arrangements within the UN system, there is a need to distinguish between "analytical" and "technical cooperation" functions carried out by individual organizations in the field of energy.

• Due attention needs to be given to specific conditions of developing countries, particularly Least Developed Countries, as well as countries with economies in transition.

• Bearing in mind a broad range of ongoing and planned activities related to the work of the Group of Experts, the participants underscored the importance of active inter-sessional work of the Bureau and of the Secretariat with a view to facilitating broad exchange and dissemination of information and ensuring that all relevant inputs are effectively channeled in the intergovernmental process.

• It was felt that more effective arrangements for participation of UN agencies and other parts of the UN system need to be established for the second session of the Group of Experts.

4. It was agreed that it would be useful to prepare a report of the Secretary-General  for the second meeting of the Group of Experts which will suggest specific policy options and concrete actions aimed at facilitating progress under all of the key issues included in the Co-Chairs' summary of the first session. Inputs for such a report would come from various inter-sessional activities and the results of case studies (see below), outcomes of the second session of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources for Development (CENRD), as well as inputs from UN organizations participating in the Task Force. This report would need to be finalized by mid-November 2000 to ensure its timely submission to the second session of the Group of Experts. It was agreed that interested organizations would make their inputs by early October 2000. Specific decisions on the contents and preparatory arrangements for this report wil be agreed in August 2000 at the Task Force's fourth meeting to be held in conjunction with the second session of CENRD. The Secretariat will send a draft outline to Task Force members prior to the fourth meeting.

5. The Task Force noted the request of the Groupof Experts to prepare case studies on specific issues discussed during its first session. It was agreed that the case studies should cover all of the "key issues", focus on successful (or otherwise) policies, and present examples from all regions with a good mix of experiences from developed and developing countries. It would be useful for some case studies to also show inter-linkages between the issues. For example, 2-3 case studies per developed and developing countries could be prepared for each of the "key issues", together with several regional case studies. It was agreed that a standard format for presentation of the case studies requested by the Ad Hoc Group would be elaborated by DESA and circulated by 3 April 2000. The participants in the meeting will submit to DESA information on recent case studies carried out by their organizations and proposals for any additional case studies they would be interested to prepare. These proposals will be compiled by DESA and circulated to participants in the Task Force with a view to agreeing on the list to case studies to be presented to the second session of the Group of Experts.

B. Review of activities currently in progress and to be undertaken

1. World Energy Assessment

6. The meeting was briefed by UNDP on progress in preparation of the World Energy Assessment. A revised draft of the World Energy Assessment undertaken by UNDP, DESA and the World Energy Council has been distributed after a broad consultative process designed to reach all stakeholders and decision-makers in developed and developing countries. The final version of the WEA will be available on the internet as well is in print.

2. Other Activities

7. It was agreed that organizations involved in various activities including those outlined in Annex I to the Co-Chairs' Summary of the first session (entitled "Programme of work between the First and Second sessions of the Ad hoc Group of Experts ") would inform the Secretariat regarding the outcomes of such activities, particularly those which are of relevance to the "key issues" identified in the Co-Chairs' Summary. This would allow the formulation of specific proposals on policies and actions required in relation to the "key issues" which could be presented for consideration during the second session of the Group of Experts in the report of the Secretary-General described above.

8. It was agreed that the Matrix of Activities should be seen as a living document, which would need to be regularly updated in light of new developments and information. Bearing in mind active interest in the information contained in the Matrix demonstrated by participants in the Group of Experts, it was agreed that the Matrix could be placed on the web, and that updated versions of the Matrix could be circulated on a regular basis. Information on specific meetings and events organized by organizations of the UN system could be annexed to the Matrix. It was agreed that the current Matrix of Activities would be updated by 3 April 2000 so that it could be made available to participants in the Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Group of Experts and others interested. Contact names and e-mail addresses of each organization will be included in the matrix along with relevant websites, and the responsibility of answering queries by the public and requests for more information will be the responsibity of each organization.

9. The participants were also briefed on the initiative of Austria to establish a Global Energy Forum to promote a multi-stakeholder dialogue on practical approaches to the issues of energy and sustainable development. It was noted that the first meeting of the proposed Forum could take place in December 2000 and will have a focus on rural energy.

III. Review of activities currently in progress and to be undertaken in support of the second session of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources for Development (14-25 August 2000)

10. It was agreed that organizations participating in the Task Force would submit their comments to the reports on Energy and the residential sector and New financial mechanisms and economic instruments to speed up the investment in sustainable energy development by early April. The draft reports on Renewable sources of energy, with special emphasis on solar energy will be circulated to members and member comments are welcome and will be valuable in preparing for final versions of the reports. In addition input was requested for the report on Promising strategies and initiatives to accelerate the development and implementation of sustainable energy technology.

11. It was also agreed that the Matrix of Activities should effectively meet the request of the Committee to receive a report on Coordination of energy activities within the UN system.

IV. Progress made in the elaboration of a common system-wide approach to energy and sustainable development

12. It was agreed that the work of the Task Force, in particular in support of the Ad Hoc Group of Experts provides an excellent opportunity for elaboration of a common system-wide approach to the issue of energy and sustainable development. The Task Force noted that the additional key issues identified by the Group of Experts, namely technology transfer, capacity building, mobilization of financial resources and international and regional cooperation,  should be important components of the common system-wide approach. In addition, the outcomes of CSD9 on this issue are expected to give further direction and impetus in this regard.

 

5. Other matters

13. It was agreed that members of the Task Force would actively collaborate with UNESCO in preparation of a report on the implementation of the World Solar Programme in accordance with UNGA resolution 54/215. It was also agreed that it would be important for all relevant organizations of the UN system to support UNESCO in its practical work aimed at the implementation of the Programme through joining and initiating new projects and activities.

VI. Next meeting of the Task Force

14. It was agreed that the next meeting of the Task Force should take place in New York in August 2000 during the second session of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources for Development.

1. Adoption of the Agenda
2. Outcome of the first session of the Ad Hoc Open Ended Group of Experts on Energy and Sustainable Development (6-10 March 2000)
3. Review of activities currently in progress
4. Review of activities in support of the second session of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources for Development (14-25 August 2000)
5. Progress made in the elaboration of a common system-wide approach to energy and sustainable development
6. Other matters
7. Provisional agenda for the next meeting of the Task Force
8. Adoption of the report of the Task Force
9. Venue and dates of the next meeting of the Task Force

Co-Chairs’ Summary of the first session of the Ad Hoc Open Ended Group of Experts on Energy and Sustainable Development, 6-10 March 2000.

"Matrix of activities"

World Energy Assessment

Draft Secretary-General’s Report on Energy and the residential sector (preliminary draft);

Draft of Secretary-General’s Report on New financial mechanisms and economic instruments to speed up the investment in sustainable energy development (preliminary draft)

Annex III

List of participants

Date last updated: 27 February 2003 by DESA/DSD
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