The International Energy Agency’s (IEA) 8th Annual Global Conference on Energy Efficiency From, hosted by Ministry of Energy Transition of France, IEA, and Schneider Electric took place in Paris from 7 to 8 June 2023. There were 32 ministers from 90 countries and over 50 CEOs attended the conference, with a total of more than 600 participants. Zou Ji, CEO and President of EF China, was invited to the conference, and held in-depth discussion with government officials and leading experts.

At the conference, IEA Executive Director, Dr. Fatih Birol, emphasized that in order to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C, the world needs to double energy efficiency by 2030 and triple the capacity of renewable energy. Zhao Chenxin, Vice Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, introduced China's progress in energy conservation and clean energy development, including policies, technologies, standards, public education and publicity. During the session of Hot Summers, Cold Winters: Keeping People Comfortable, Zou Ji introduced China's polices and achievements in deploying high-efficiency buildings, and took air-conditioning products as an example to show the importance of standards and regulations in reducing carbon emissions. Other promin ent guests at the session included Raimonds Cudars, Minister of Climate and Energy of Latvia, Okaasai Opolo, Minister of State for Energy of Uganda, Laurent Michel, General Director for Energy and Climate of Ministry of Energy Transition of France, Benoit Bazin, Chief Executive Officer of Saint-Gobain, and Paula Glover, president of Alliance To Save Energy.

Top left: Dr. Fatih Birol, IEA Executive Director, deliveres an opening speech. Photos by IEA
Top right: Zhao Chenxin, Vice Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission of China, makes a speech on energy conservation and clean energy development. Photos by IEA
Bottom: Zou Ji delivered a speech at the session of Hot summers, cold winters: Keeping people comfortable. Photos by IEA

Han Wei, Director of Projects at the President’s Office of EF China, attended the session of Financing And Business Models For Achieving Scale, and introduced that EF China’s work with multilateral banks to promote innovative business models, and efforts in promoting energy efficiency investment, including supporting national standards, exploring and researching green financial tools. Other prominent guests who attended the session included Lucia Fuselli, Energy Sector Lead of Green Climate Fund, Pierre Langlois, President of SOFIAC Canada, Hubert Zan, Assistant Manager of Energy Efficiency Inspection and Enforcement of Energy Commission Ghana, and Daniela Pandrea, General Manager of Building Technologies and Solutions of Benelux & Nordics of Johnson Controls.

In addition, EF China and IEA co-hosted a side event Appliance Standards in A Net Zero Future: A Call to Action on Harmonising International Standards. Zou Ji recommended regional and national Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEPS) to adopt international testing standards by facilitating testing methods internationally. Besides, the barriers to trade in energy-efficient products between economies could be eliminated by promoting internationally recognized labeling and certification. Furthermore, Zou Ji suggested that firstly, expedite the adoption of the world's best MEPS for global key products to increase the market share of high-efficiency products; secondly, encourage corporate innovation to carry out more super energy-saving technologies to the world and to produce more energy-saving products; thirdly, enhance global supply chains and trade in energy-efficient products and technologies; lastly, help developing countries to benefite from international best practices, especially in establishing advanced standards and market systems for countries without energy efficiency standards. Government officials and experts from IEA, the Embassy of the Republic of Ghana in France, China National Institute of Standardization, Zambia Bureau of Standards, International Electrotechnical Commission, International Organization for Standardization, United Nations Environment Programme, Collaborative Labeling and Appliance Standards Program, South African National Energy Development Institute, innovative Green Development Programme and Daikin Industries attended the event.

Top left：Han Wei presides over a panel discussion at the side event Appliance Standards in A Net Zero Future: A Call to Action on Harmonising International Standards. Photo by IEA.
Top right：Zou Ji made a concluding speech at the side event. Photo by IEA.
Bottom: Government officials and experts attended the side event. Photo by IEA.