2 October 2015: The 6th International Forum on Energy for Sustainable Development brought together over 260 energy experts who agreed on a set of common actions to help countries achieve the Sustainable Development Goal on energy (SDG 7): Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.

The Forum, which convened in Yerevan, Armenia, from 29 September – 2 October 2015, aimed to help governments pursue strategies, policies and investment opportunities for deploying energy efficiency and renewable energy measures in the private and public sectors. It also provided the opportunity for practitioners to exchange experiences and solutions for improving energy efficiency, increasing the renewable energy share and implementing cleaner energy technologies.

The Forum agreed on the ‘Yerevan Statement of Common Action,’ which is intended to operationalize the Hammamet Declaration by supporting the move to a “new, sustainable and fair energy system”. The Declaration, agreed to at the 5th International Forum on Energy for Sustainable Development, was signed by the five Executive Secretaries of the UN Regional Commissions. The actions represent a first step towards achieving the targets of the energy SDG. Progress on the action plan will be reviewed and assessed at future International Fora on Energy for Sustainable Development.

UNECE Executive Secretary Christian Friis Bach said that the International Forum on Energy for Sustainable Development underscored the commitment of the UN Regional Commissions to achieving the SDGs.

The statement includes five priority areas for action to be taken by the UN Regional Commissions and other international organizations over the next two years: assist countries to develop and pursue national sustainable energy action plans; work with countries to improve the quality of energy statistics; help countries pursue effective policies in, inter alia, energy market reform, energy efficiency, renewable energy, energy access and energy security; encourage the exchange of lessons learned and best practices regarding policies and technology; and develop internationally recognized minimum energy performance standards in all sectors.

The Forum was organized by the Government of Armenia, the UNECE and other UN Regional Commissions, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) Office in Armenia, the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the Copenhagen Centre on Energy Efficiency (C2E2), the Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) and Habitat for Humanity International. [Forum Website] [Yerevan Statement of Common Action]