June 18, 2008—The energy ministers from the Group of Eight (G8) industrialized countries (Canada, the European Union, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, and the US) and from China, India, and South Korea have agreed to establish the International Partnership for Energy Efficiency Cooperation (IPEEC), according to the US Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE).
The IPEEC (.pdf file) will serve as a high-level forum for facilitating a broad range of actions that yield significant gains in energy efficiency. The partnership will support the on-going energy efficiency work of the participating countries and relevant international organizations by exchanging information on best practices, policies, and efforts to collect data.
The IPEEC members will also develop public-private partnerships for improving energy efficiency, participate in joint research and development efforts, and facilitate the dissemination of energy-related products and services.
The energy ministers from this “G8 plus 3” (.pdf file) group of countries also discussed high oil prices and a wide range of energy sources, including renewable energy. The ministers committed to “enhance vigorously” their efforts to address and supply disruption risks, to improve energy efficiency, to promote non-conventional oil and alternative energy resources, and to diversify supply routes. They also noted that developing alternative transport and fuel technologies is essential to reduce the oil dependence of transportation throughout the world.
