26 June 2009: The International Energy Conference 2009, held in Vienna, Austria, from 22-24 June 2009, concluded with a call for a shift to low-carbon green industries, as well as increased energy investment.

The Conference was organized around the theme “Towards an Integrated Energy Agenda Beyond 2020: Securing Sustainable Policies and Investments,” and was co-organized by the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the International Institute of Applied Systems Analysis, the Global Forum on Sustainable Energy and the Austrian Development Cooperation. The Conference focused on energy issues in the context of the current global financial and economic crisis.
Speaking at the opening of the conference, UNIDO Director-General Kandeh K. Yumkella said the current global financial and economic crisis must be used to bring about a green energy revolution. He urged including the promotion of domestic and international policies that encourage green investment as a priority in the future climate deal to be concluded at the climate change conference in Copenhagen in December 2009. Rajendra Pachauri, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Chair, highlighted the importance of providing energy access in order to eliminate poverty.
Issues discussed at the Conference included: an integrated energy agenda beyond 2020; global energy challenges of the 21st century; energy strategies to combat climate change; global sustainable energy governance issues, including promotion of the transition to a low-carbon development path; renewable energies, including investment in renewable energy markets and the prospects for renewable energy industries and markets in 2009 and beyond; energy access for productive uses; energy efficiency in industry; and financing energy in times of crisis. Sessions also focused on specific regions, including West Africa, Central and Eastern Europe, and small island developing States (SIDS). [UNIDO Press Release][Conference Website][IISDRS Coverage]