World Energy Outlook 2007

Co-operation is a two-way street; IEA countries have much to learn about
energy developments in China and India and how these will affect their own
energy markets. In return, the latter can profit from IEA experiences and best
practices, notably in building institutional capacity and designing effective
policies. Technology collaboration with the IEA, which has been gathering
momentum in recent years, provides an additional mutually beneficial
mechanism for accelerating the development and deployment of cleaner, more
efficient technologies (see below). Both China and India are keen to learn from
the industrialised countries about ways of curbing emissions and to take
advantage of technological advances, notably in the area of end-use efficiency,
renewables, clean coal in power generation and carbon capture and storage.
The effectiveness of co-operation hinges on bringing the right stakeholders into
the process. The success of many programmes depends on effective
implementation at the provincial, state or municipal levels. In recognition of
their importance, in 2006, the IEA declared China and India, together with
Russia, to be the priorities of the Agency’s outreach programme.
A number of IEA member countries have developed bilateral and multilateral
mechanisms and programmes, in some cases working through the Agency,
aimed at assisting and co-operating with China and India on a range of energy
issues (Box 6.2). Four IEA countries – Australia, Japan, Korea and the United
States – work with China and India on promoting clean, more efficient
technologies through the Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and
Climate, launched in 2006. China and India also co-operate on energy-related
issues with non-IEA countries through regional organisations, such as the Asia-
Pacific Economic Co-operation and the East Asia Summit. In 2006, China
itself initiated five-party talks on energy with India, Japan, Korea and the
United States. China and India, with the IEA, participate in the Renewable
Energy Policy Network for the 21 st Century (REN21), a global multistakeholder
forum for promoting the development and deployment of
renewable energy technology. China and the IEA are also members of the
Global Bioenergy Partnership, a forum to promote research, development,
demonstration and commercial production and use of biomass for energy.
The industrialised countries have obvious long-term economic and political
interests – and a moral duty – in helping India deal with energy poverty
(see Chapter 20). Many poor households continue to rely heavily on inefficient
and polluting traditional fuels and stoves to meet their energy needs for
cooking and heating, because they cannot afford modern commercial forms of
energy or because it is simply not available. Developed countries, through
multilateral organisations such as the IEA and bilateral co-operation, can help
in many different ways, including through financial support and technical
assistance (IEA, 2004 and 2006). China, which has made great strides in
improving its own population’s access to modern energy, has valuable
experience to share with India and other developing nations.
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