17 June 2009: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon launched a high-level Energy and Climate Change Advisory Group, which will bring together business leaders, experts and energy practitioners to advise him on climate change and energy challenges.

The Group will identify key issues in the run-up to the Copenhagen climate change conference in December 2009, particularly regarding the role that energy efficiency and clean production can play in mitigating climate change, with a focus on developing countries.
The Advisory Group held its first meeting on 17 June 2009, at UN Headquarters, in New York, US, under the chairmanship of Kandeh K. Yumkella, Director-General of the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and UN-Energy Chairman.[UNIDO Press Release]