World Energy Outlook 2007

Box 6.1: Co-operative Activities Between the IEA and India and China
Co-operation between the IEA and China is formalised in a 1996
memorandum of understanding and a 2001 agreement on a Framework
for Energy Technology Co-operation. The IEA and India signed a
Declaration of Co-operation in 1998. The key objectives of IEA cooperation
with China and India are to contribute to the development of
the energy sector in both countries. Core areas of activities are energy
statistics, indicators and data management, energy security, energy
efficiency and environmental issues, market reform and pricing,
technology co-operation and studies of the power, coal and gas sectors.
The Agency has, over the past decade, organised with the Chinese and
Indian authorities a number of technical-level meetings, seminars and
workshops involving experts from member countries. Perhaps most
significantly, China and India have begun to send delegations to observe
selected meetings of the IEA’s Governing Board and committees, which
oversee the activities of the Agency. In 2007 the IEA provided training to
nearly 150 energy statisticians in China on international practices. The
two countries have also collaborated with the IEA on a number of indepth
studies. For example, these events are intended to promote
understanding and communication on both sides on a range of energy
issues. Indeed, the preparation of this Outlook benefited from the results
of two workshops on energy prospects and policy challenges held in
Beijing and New Delhi in March 2007.
participate in the next emergency-response exercise in 2008. More recently, the
IEA has assisted in training Chinese and Indian officials in emergency
preparedness statistics.
China’s and India’s oil security – like that of all consuming countries – is
increasingly dependent on a well-functioning international oil market. Market
transparency is a vital component. To this end, the IEA is working with the
Chinese and Indian authorities to improve their oil data collection and
reporting, including through the Joint Oil Data Initiative, which aims to
improve the availability, quality and timeliness of monthly oil market
information. 5 Neither China nor India yet reports information on the stocks
held by private or national oil companies, though China has recently started to
provide data on monthly changes in total stock levels. Better reporting of stocks
data and improving the reliability and timeliness of oil data generally would
add significantly to market transparency and predictability, bringing global
benefits to consuming and producing countries alike.
5. Available at www.jodidata.org..
232 World Energy Outlook 2007 - GLOBAL ENERGY PROSPECTS: IMPACT OF DEVELOPMENTS IN CHINA & INDIA