Themo Solar Energy

2009

Climate Law

The aim of this article is to critically examine, from a legal perspective, the relationship between the International Energy Agency (iea) and the International Renewable Energy Agency (irena). The iea was established in 1973 in response to the global oil crisis. It currently has 29 member states. Its original mandate has been expanded to include ensuring reliable, affordable, and clean energy. irena was established in 2009. Its main objective is to promote sustainable use of all forms of renewable energy. With 138 member states, and many more in the process of accession, irena is becoming a truly universal organization. Both the iea and irena focus their attention on sustainable energy. Is there an institutional overlap or an unnecessary duplication in scope? Are irena’s activities in sustainable energy, which seemingly parallel those of the iea, justified by its aims and global reach? By addressing these and related questions, the article discusses whether the relationship between...

2011

The International Energy Agency (IEA) is the organization that, despite its constrained membership, is as close as the world currently comes to a global focal point on the key energy governance arenas. Although when the IEA was established in the 1970s it had the specific and limited purpose of enabling the world's leading oil consumers to undertake collective action in response to oil supply shocks, it now finds itself at the center of many of the key developments in global energy governance. Its evolution and current challenges reflect the key themes of this special issue: the competition between state and market, the emergence of multipolarity, the particular growing importance of Asia and the rise of climate change on the agenda of key tasks needing governance. The article focuses on where the agency now fits in the larger global energy governance panoply. Policy Implications  The IEA's highly successful partnership with the G8 will not easily extend to the G20, given the latter's much more diverse membership and interests. Both the IEA and the G20 governments should look to the experience of the G8's 'tasking' of the IEA for ideas about how to advance the G20 agenda on energy.  The IEA's governing board should systematically assess the agency's role as a linchpin in a variety of energy-related regimes and consider how to ensure that the IEA is adequately resourced so that it can fill these multiple roles.  The IEA's affiliation with the OECD should be reassessed to facilitate the agency's engagement with major emerging oil consumers, particularly India and China.

Energy Policy, 2012

The International Energy Agency (IEA), an autonomous agency, was established in November 1974. Its primary mandate was -and is -two-fold: to promote energy security amongst its member countries through collective response to physical disruptions in oil supply, and provide authoritative research and analysis on ways to ensure reliable, affordable and clean energy for its 28 member countries and beyond. The IEA carries out a comprehensive programme of energy co-operation among its member countries, each of which is obliged to hold oil stocks equivalent to 90 days of its net imports. The Agency's aims include the following objectives:  Secure member countries' access to reliable and ample supplies of all forms of energy; in particular, through maintaining effective emergency response capabilities in case of oil supply disruptions.  Promote sustainable energy policies that spur economic growth and environmental protection in a global context -particularly in terms of reducing greenhouse-gas emissions that contribute to climate change.  Improve transparency of international markets through collection and analysis of energy data.  Support global collaboration on energy technology to secure future energy supplies and mitigate their environmental impact, including through improved energy effi ciency and development and deployment of low-carbon technologies.  Find solutions to global energy challenges through engagement and dialogue with non-member countries, industry, international organisations and other stakeholders.

2016

The International Energy Agency (IEA), an autonomous agency, was established in November 1974. Its mandate is two-fold: to promote energy security amongst its member countries through collective response to physical disruptions in oil supply and to advise member countries on sound energy policy.

2010

The International Energy Agency (IEA) is an autonomous body within the framework of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) based in Paris. Established in 1974 after the first “oil shock,” the IEA is committed to carrying out a comprehensive program of energy cooperation among its members and the Commission of the European Communities. The IEA provides a legal framework, through IEA Implementing Agreements such as the Solar Heating and Cooling Agreement, for international collaboration in energy technology research and development (R&D) and deployment. This IEA experience has proved that such collaboration contributes significantly to faster technological progress, while reducing costs; to eliminating technological risks and duplication of efforts; and to creating numerous other benefits, such as swifter expansion of the knowledge base and easier harmonization of standards. The Solar Heating and Cooling Programme was one of the first IEA Implementing Agreem...

The International Energy Agency (IEA), an autonomous agency, was established in November 1974. Its mandate is two-fold: to promote energy security amongst its member countries through collective response to physical disruptions in oil supply and to advise member countries on sound energy policy.