Across the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) region, member States are facing unprecedented challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical crises in the region, supply chain disruptions, and climate change impacts. These challenges have exposed the vulnerability of the UNECE energy systems and highlighted the urgent need to build more resilient energy systems. Member States are now reexamining energy with a goal to identify, enhance and implement strategies to meet their immediate energy and economic needs without jeopardizing achievement of their longer-term 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2030 Agenda) and the Paris agreement goals.

In September 2022, at the thirty-first session of the Committee on Sustainable Energy, member States agreed to prioritize and implement special activities related to energy resilience across the UNECE region, providing an UNECE Platform on Resilient Energy Systems for inclusive dialogue. The Platform serves to coordinate, compile, promote and provide information, guidance, training and/or technical assistance to support member States as they build resilient energy systems. The expert groups under the Committee, including the Groups of Experts on Cleaner Electricity Systems, on Coal Mine Methane and Just Transition, on Energy Efficiency, on Gas, on Renewable Energy, and the Expert Group on Resource Management, have identified a number of recommendations for member States to consider supporting the second set of activities listed above. The recommendations, delivered in the support of the Platform and described below, can help member States meet their short- and long-term energy, economic and environmental goals and build resilient energy systems.