Product Efficiency 2008

Getting global agreement on defining
energy efficient products

An event organised by eceee with support from the Australian Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts and the European Climate Foundation.

Bibliothèque Solvay, Brussels 30–31 October 2008 

FINAL Brussels Bulletin


The objective of this conference was to identify and propose solutions to achieve global agreement on defining energy efficient globally traded products which could make an important contribution to tackling climate change. The conference participants recognised the significant role that the expanded use of energy labelling and minimum energy performance standards could play in reducing greenhouse emissions in a costeffective
fashion. Equally important was the need to do this on a timescale commensurate with the urgency of the climate change problem and the conference felt confident that this was achievable with continued political support.

eceee and the participants called for greater global coordination and cooperation in the creation and operation of national and regional energy efficiency programmes on end use equipment, and in the exchange of information and methodologies between stakeholders. This call was targeted toward multinational and multilateral organisations which have this leadership obligation. While participants recognised their expertise would be called upon to deliver “global agreement on defining energy efficient products”, they also recognised that the absence of agreed global policy frameworks and targets for market transformation continued to constrain the delivery of the long-promised greenhouse abatement opportunities offered by enduse
equipment.

Seventy participants from 17 countries and the European Commission representing government, energy efficiency agencies, manufacturers, consumer interests and environmental NGOs discussed practical endeavours that will facilitate global agreement on the future directions to align energy efficiency programs in order to speed-up policies and energy savings to meet the challenge of halting climate change. In a two-day
workshop environment, participants discussed the need for positive and effective energy efficiency policy responses on three levels: national, regional and global.

For more information contact:
Phone: +46 8 673 11 30
Fax: +46 8 673 04 44
eceee@eceee.org