IEA - the International Energy Agency
The International Energy Agency (IEA) is one of the most influential institutions focused on global energy policy analysis and dialogue. IEA was founded in 1974 in response to the first major oil crisis that led to increased oil prices and shortages with global ramifications. Initially, the IEA focused on oil supply security, but following changes in the global energy agenda, the IEA has adopted its focus accordingly.
Today, the organisation has a broader focus beyond oil security. The IEA stands as the most important intergovernmental forum for cooperation on energy systems and sources.
Energy markets are continuously assessed by the IEA with regards to the role of coal, oil, gas, renewable energy, and energy efficiency. Danish experts play an active role in the planning of this work, focusing particularly on conditions concerning sustainable energy use and efficiency.
Denmark has been a member of the IEA since it was founded in 1974. The organisation has 30 member countries, all of which are members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Since the 1990s, the global economic order has changed immensely due to significant economic growth in several developing countries, including China. This signifies that membership of the IEA no longer represents the majority of the world's energy consumption and related economic and environmental challenges.
In part based on Danish recommendation, the IEA has begun to develop closer relations with important emerging economies including China, India, Indonesia, Brazil, South Africa, Singapore, Thailand and Morocco as partner countries to the IEA.
Read more about IEA - the International Energy Agency.
CEM – Clean Energy Ministerial
CEM was established in June 2010, and consists of the G20 countries and a series of green front-runners that together represent about 90 % of the total global investments in clean energy and account for 75 % of global CO2 emissions.
In addition to the annual ministerial summit for the Energy Ministers of the 29 member countries, the countries participate in a series of initiatives, which is the core of the exchange of 'best practice' within policies to promote energy efficiency and renewable energy.
Denmark is in particular active in an investment initiative initiated by Denmark, co-led by Germany and with the IEA as secretariat. The purpose of the initiative is to increase the understanding of how framework conditions supplemented by initiatives to mobilise finance, reduce risks, and assist in project development altogether enables private investments in the energy transition. The investment initiative is based on active participation from financial institutions and the private sector.
In general, Denmark aims to create thematic synergies between the work in CEM and the Danish bilateral cooperation with important emerging economies including China, Mexico, South Africa and Indonesia - which are all members of CEM.
Read more about CEM - Clean Energy Ministerial.
IRENA – the International Renewable Energy Agency
IRENA is the only international organisation in the world that deals exclusively with the promotion of sustainable energy sources. IRENA focuses on knowledge sharing and promotes the business case for wind power, solar energy and hydropower among its member states.
The organisation has developed rapidly since its founding in 2009 with Germany, Denmark and Spain as "founding fathers”. Today IRENA consists of 165 members and is comparable to established UN organisations in terms of number of members.
Within IRENA, Denmark is especially engaged in sharing knowledge about the Danish energy model and providing experience, expertise and leadership in the field of wind power energy, for instance scenario planning. Furthermore, the membership in IRENA also enables Denmark to gain insights into renewable energy developments in the rest of the world and to get inspiration and learn from other countries’ experiences with renewable energy. In 2020 Denmark and IRENA signed a strategic partnership agreement to strengthen common objectives and priorities within global green transition.
Read more about IRENA - the International Renewable Energy Agency.
MI –Mission Innovation
Mission Innovation is an international research cooperation launched at the opening of the COP21 in Paris. The initiative focuses on the strengthening of research in clean energy technology to accelerate a sustainable energy transition. A key aim is to reduce costs by making the technologies cheaper and more widely accessible.
During the first five year period from 2015 to 2020 the countries participating in Mission Innovation accomplished their obliged contribution of doubling investments in research within clean energy technologies. In 2021 at the Sixth Mission Innovation Ministerial the members decided to enter a new and more ambitious phase of research and innovation within clean energy technologies (MI 2.0). One of the two main pillars of MI 2.0 is a Mission approach that forms public-private innovation alliances with the aim to catalyse global action behind ambitious and inspirational innovation goals that will lead to tipping points in the cost and scale of clean energy solutions.
The Danish government spearheaded the Mission approach by developing a new mission to decarbonize the shipping sector. The Zero Emission Shipping Mission was launched during the Sixth Mission Innovation Ministerial and is today co-led by Denmark, The United States, Norway, Global Maritime Forum and Mærsk McKinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping.
Read more about Mission Innovation.
Sustainable Development Goal 7
With a longstanding record within green energy solutions and technology, Denmark has taken leadership in promoting Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG 7), which aims to "Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all”. Denmark has been selected as a UN Global Theme Champion on energy transition for the UN High-level Dialogue on Energy in September 2021, which will be the first UN meeting on energy in 40 years. As a Global Theme Champion, Denmark will advocate for, raise awareness about and inspire concrete commitments and action towards a global green transition from fossil fuel to clean energy. This work entails engaging both Member States, businesses, cities and other stakeholders in an effort to achieve the objectives of SDG 7.
Read more about SDG 7 and the High-level Dialogue on Energy.