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Buildings consume over 70 per cent of the electrical power generated and 40 per cent of primary energy and are responsible for 40 per cent of carbon dioxide emissions from related fuel combustion. At the same time, in 2018, out of 4.5 trillion USD spent on building construction and renovation, the…
Hydrogen is not a mere dangerous good. It is perhaps our best chance to attain carbon neutrality by 2050, was the conclusion of a brainstorming on carbon neutrality held at UNECE this week. More than 200 experts attended the online discussion that explored production, transport, storage and use of…
Hydrogen is an innovative solution to help achieve carbon neutrality and other climate targets. In 2019 and 2020 the key players from across the UNECE region came up with decarbonization strategies in which hydrogen is to play a pivotal role. Ukraine is deeply interested in developing…
The current patterns of raw material consumption are unstainable and are becoming an existential threat to the planet.
The United Nations Framework Classification for Resources (UNFC) offers a solution to support a total transformation towards a sustainable resource management future. To…
Under the targets of the Paris climate agreement, our region must capture at least 90Gt of carbon dioxide by 2050. To limit global temperature rises to 2⁰C, UNECE’s experts on cleaner electricity urged the region to deploy carbon capture, use and storage (CCUS) technologies at scale and without…
The European Green Deal is a new growth strategy aiming to transform the European Union into a modern, resource-efficient and competitive economy. The European Green Deal has a number of overarching objectives, including for the European Union to reach net-zero GHG emissions by 2050; promotion of…
Combined with electricity from renewable sources, hydrogen has the potential to replace hydrocarbons in the UNECE region by 2050. Hydrogen can be used in transport, homes, industry, and power generation as part of an integrated service-based society.Hydrogen has been produced and used in huge…
Who are the major actors engaged in a process of energy transition of buildings? What are the current and desirable data provision practices to support policy-making, energy planning and implementation of energy efficiency projects in buildings? Who are the major actors that collect data on…
Sustainably managing raw materials, especially the critical raw materials needed for batteries, is of strategic importance for the European Union. As the energy system moves more strongly to embrace intermittent energy sources and to deploy e-mobility and “smart everything”, the role of chemical…
The extractive industries in oil, gas, and coal mining are traditionally male-dominated sectors. As observed in the report Promoting Gender Diversity and Inclusion in the Oil, Gas and Mining Extractive Industries that was developed this year by the Advocates for Human Rights at the request of…
Buildings are a major emitter of CO2 and a major energy consumer. Radical changes to the design and construction of buildings, to retrofitting of existing building stock, and to the way energy is supplied and used in buildings are critically important if UNECE member States wish to meet their…
The 10th International Forum on Energy for Sustainable Development opened today in Bangkok, Thailand. Delegates to the Forum underscored the need for greater collaboration between governments and the private sector, and for inter-regional dialogue if the global energy transition is to be…
Energy and water resources are integrally related and strongly interdependent. Facilitating their integrated management and monitoring can therefore offer an important foundation for sustainable development. The United Nations Framework Classification of Resources (UNFC), developed at UNECE, can…
Turkey and Ukraine are important coal producers. With in-country reserves, coal is central to both countries’ near-term and long-term energy strategies. Each of them has vast experience in coal mining; however, they still face multiple challenges associated with methane gas released from…
Africa leads the world in implementing a new system for management of resources Africa-wide. The new system, based on the United Nations Framework Classification for Resources (UNFC), will launch the continent on a path of social, environmental and economic progress. In 2009, Africa inaugurated…
Profits matter in any industry but prioritizing short-term financial gains at the expense of longer-term considerations – which must also address social and environmental aspects – cannot be an enduring business model. Raising objectives in terms of social and environmental outcomes can…
To harness important synergies between energy efficiency, gas and renewable energy, we need to first address methane emissions and introduce new concepts such as renewable and decarbonized gases and hydrogen.This was the principal conclusion of the sixth session of the UNECE Group of Experts on…
Capitalizing on countries’ renewable energy potential requires bringing together different actors and interests in order to overcome barriers and identify priority actions.Responding to this need, “New Possibilities for Developing Renewable Energy Sustainably in Serbia” was the focus of the 6th…
Improving energy efficiency in buildings is one of the most cost-effective ways to ensure energy security, improve the quality of life and economic well-being, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The building sector presents a unique opportunity to improve energy efficiency substantially – both…
Colombia is an important coal producer. Its overall extraction represents over 81.2% of Latin American output. Its reserves constitute almost a half of the continent’s total reserves of these resources. Colombia is also the world's fourth largest exporter of coal with low ash and sulfur dioxide…
Resource development and production are often seen as a “drain industry” that leaves behind wastes and a broken planet, along with socio-economic concerns such as exposing a resource-dependent national economy to resource depletion, and other risks such as the so-called “Dutch disease” and…
Many low-carbon technologies require vast amounts of critical raw materials. Renewable energy, battery storage, nuclear energy, energy efficiency, and carbon capture and storage all need critical raw materials. Discussions on critical raw materials typically focus on demand, yet broader…
The world is not on track to meet the target of the Paris Agreement to limit global warming to 'well below' 2°C. Participants at the Ninth International Forum of Energy for Sustainable Development (12-15 November 2018) in Kiev, Ukraine, deliberated on how nuclear energy could contribute to deep…
A number of legislative, policy, economic and financial barriers remain to significant improvements in energy efficiency and increased uptake of renewable energy. Identifying policies and measures in the UNECE region that reduce these barriers can help in increasing investment and financing…
Countries choose different pathways to meet commitments they have made under the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Climate Agreement, as national circumstances vary significantly. Analysis of the progress to date shows that much greater effort is needed, including much bolder policy commitments,…