The IEA conference aims to double global progress with new energy efficiency policies

At the IEA’s 9th Annual Global Energy Efficiency Conference in Nairobi this week, governments from around the world gathered to discuss how to deliver on their commitment to double progress on energy efficiency, agreed at COP28 . The IEA revealed that despite increased government action to increase energy efficiency in recent years, faster action is needed to meet the 2030 deadline.

The IEA Global Conference, co-hosted by Cabinet Secretary for Energy and Petroleum Davis Chirchir and IEA Executive Director Dr. Fatih Birol, brought over 500 participants from over 70 countries to the Kenyan capital. This is the first IEA conference organized in Africa, which demonstrates the increasingly important cooperation between the Agency and the governments of the region in recent years.

The main topic of the event was doubling the pace of energy efficiency by 2030, set during COP28 in Dubai. IEA analysis shows that progress on energy efficiency is a key milestone in limiting global warming to 1.5°C by mid-century. Achieving this means improving the energy efficiency of the global economy by more than 4% on average every year until 2030. However, IEA data shows that annual improvement in 2023 has slowed from 2% to just over 1%. Progress has been hampered by a number of factors, including record heat this year, which has increased demand for air conditioning in warmer regions.

A joint statement by Chairs Dr Birol and Cabinet Secretary Chirchir called on “all governments to include or strengthen energy efficiency targets in the next round of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), maintaining the momentum of COP28 to help achieve the global goal of maintaining 1.5°C within reach.” The statement, published today at a ministerial roundtable, also encouraged “policymakers to translate ambition into implementation, building on the new IEA 2024 Energy Efficiency Policy Toolkit.”

Dr Birol said: “Despite the ambition demonstrated at COP28 and great progress in many countries and regions, we are not yet seeing the necessary progress on energy efficiency globally. Governments must step up and the private sector must also play its part. We have seen significant progress, including in countries like Kenya, and I am grateful to Minister Chirchir for his leadership.”

Energy efficiency has been the biggest contributor to slowing emissions growth so far, and policies such as efficiency standards for buildings, cars and appliances have helped reduce energy bills and emissions around the world. However, the IEA’s Net Zero by 2050 analysis found that this could lead to even greater savings in energy demand, emissions and costs. It is estimated that achieving the doubling target would reduce consumer bills in developed economies by up to one third, as well as significant savings in emerging economies. It would also create 4.5 million more energy efficiency jobs than currently.

Cabinet Secretary Chirchir said: “Kenya is working hard to achieve the energy doubling target as part of its efforts to achieve universal access to electricity by 2030. That is why the government has introduced energy efficiency and conservation plans, namely the National Cooling Action Plan and strategies to advance green cooking and electric mobility As Kenya looks to accelerate its clean energy transition in the face of the global climate and energy crisis, energy efficiency is playing an increasingly important role in supporting its goals of providing affordable, reliable access to energy electricity. I am very pleased to co-host this important event and look forward to strengthening our cooperation with the International Energy Agency.

At a conference in Nairobi, the IEA published a new energy efficiency policy toolkit, showing governments how to quickly accelerate progress with new and strengthened policies. Governments welcomed this new toolkit as a guide on how to implement the global commitment made at COP28. In parallel, leading companies from around the world joined the conference to discuss opportunities to work more closely with governments to support faster progress in productivity. The result was the Nairobi Business Leaders Action Plan for Public-Private Collaboration, which was also shared with participating energy ministers. Kenyan companies had a strong voice in the business discussion, co-hosted by the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM).