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EfE themes: Energy and environment

"Energy and environment" has been a theme in the Environment for Europe (EfE) process since the first EfE Ministerial Conference held in Dobris, then Czechoslovakia, in 1991. At the 1998 Aarhus EfE Ministerial Conference, a "Policy Statement on Energy Efficiency" was endorsed and the "Guidelines on Energy Conservation in Europe" were welcomed by Ministers. Click here to view the Policy Statement endorsed in Aarhus.

At the 2003 Kiev EfE Ministerial Conference, paragraphs 46-49 of the Kiev Ministerial Declaration were dedicated to "energy for sustainable development" and Ministers endorsed the "Guidelines on Reforming Energy Pricing and Subsidies" (click here to view these Guidelines; click here to view the explanatory notes to these guidelines), which among others aim at progressively reducing or removing energy price subsidies that counteract an efficient use of energy and/or have harmful effects on the environment. In addition, Ministers reaffirmed their support for continued efforts in improving energy efficiency in their "Statement on Energy Efficiency" (click here to view the Statement).

At the 2007 Belgrade Environment for Europe Conference, ministers took note of the so-called Belgrade Initiative "Enhancing Regional Cooperation of Interested South-Eastern European Countries in the Field of Climate Change" and welcomed the project "Financing Energy Efficiency Investments for Climate Change Mitigation".

Documents related to "energy and environment" discussed at the 2007 Belgrade Environment for Europe Ministerial Conference

The following documents related to "energy and environment" have been submitted to the 2007 Belgrade Environment for Europe Ministerial Conference:

• Delivering Energy Efficiency: Developments and Priorities (submitted by: Energy Charter Secretariat). View document: ENG, FRE, RUS.
• Policy Developments and Challenges in Delivering Energy Efficiency (submitted by: Energy Charter Secretariat).  View document: ENG, RUS.
• Public-Sector Participation in the Energy Efficiency Equity Fund (submitted by: UNECE Energy Efficiency 21 Project). View document: ENG, FRE, RUS.
• Financing Energy Efficiency for Climate Change Mitigation in Selected Transition Economies (submitted by: UNECE).  View document: ENG, FRE, RUS.
• Belgrade Initiative: enhancing the regional South-East European cooperation in the field of climate change –Climate Change Framework Action Plan for the South-Eastern European region and the establishment of a subregional, virtual Climate Change related centre for research and systematic observation, education, training, public awareness, and capacity building (submitted by Serbia and the Regional Environmental Centre for Central and Eastern Europe). View document: ENG/add., FRE/add., RUS/add.
• Europe's Environment: the Fourth Assessment (submitted by: European Environment Agency). Note: This report will be made available during the Belgrade Conference. View document: ENG, FRE, RUS.
• Policies for a Better Environment - Progress in Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia (submitted by: EAP Task Force). View document: full text ENG/RUS, summary.
• Project Preparation Committee Report to the Sixth Ministerial Conference "Environment for Europe" (submitted by: Project Preparation Committee).  View document: ENG, RUS.
• Progress Report on Partnerships in Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia (submitted by: EAP Task Force).  View document: ENG, RUS.
• Sustainable Consumption and Production (submitted by: Sweden as one of the lead countries in cooperation with UNEP). View document: ENG, FRE, RUS.
• Sustainable Consumption and Production in South-Eastern Europe and Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia (submitted by: UNEP and European Environment Agency). Note: This report is officially under "embargo" until 11 October, 2007. View DRAFT, ANNEX.
• Sustainable Consumption and Production in South-Eastern Europe (submitted by: Croatia).  View document: ENG.
• Critical Issues in Implementation of Environmental Policies Highlighted by the UNECE Environmental Performance Reviews Programme (submitted by: UNECE). View document: ENG/add./Corr., FRE/add., RUS/add.
• Environmental Policy in South-Eastern Europe (submitted by: UNDP).  View document: ENG.
• Integrating Environment in Key Economic Sectors in Europe and Central Asia (submitted by: the World Bank). View document: ENG.
• Integrating Environment into Agriculture and Forestry: Progress and Prospects in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (submitted by: the World Bank). View document: ENG.
• Facilitating Development of Coal Mine Methane Projects in Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia (submitted by: UNECE). View document: ENG, FRE, RUS.

Last update of this page: 17 April, 2008.