International Energy Agency identifies keys for UN conference

Leading up to the 21st United Nations Conference of Parties, which will be held in Paris this December, the International Energy Agency (IEA) issued its World Energy Outlook Special Report on Energy and Climate Change on Monday.

The report, which cites the global energy industry is the largest source of Greenhouse Gas Emissions, identifies four key pillars to ensure success at the talks: a peak in emissions, a five-year revision, a lock in the vision, and to track the transition.

"As IEA analysis has repeatedly shown that the cost and difficulty of mitigating greenhouse gas emissions increases every year, time is of the essence," IEA Executive Director Maria van der Hoeven said. "It is clear that the energy sector must play a critical role if efforts to reduce emissions are to succeed."

The key pillars concentrate on setting conditions to achieve a peak in energy emissions as early as 2020; regularly reviewing national targets; creating a global, long-term goal; and creating a process to track achievements.

“While we see growing consensus among countries that it is time to act, we must ensure that the steps taken are adequate and that the commitments made are kept," van der Hoeven said.