This year represents a critical juncture in global efforts to tackle climate change. The 21st session of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), to be held in Paris in December 2015, will mark a decisive stage in negotiations on the abatement of greenhouse gas emissions; it is also expected to adopt a major outline of the post-2020 regime.

Since the energy sector is the source of about two-thirds of total emissions, achieving the fundamental transformation of this sector towards low-carbon development is crucial to meeting the stated goals. Recognizing the rising ambitions and to analyze the energy sector needs from a climate agreement, the International Energy Agency (IEA) organized a high-level workshop on Energy and Climate on 5 March 2015 in Paris.

In his keynote speech, France's Minister for Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy, H.E. Paul Watkinson, issued a rallying call for both the public and private sectors of both advanced and emerging economies to work towards integrated energy strategies and climate abatement ahead of the December summit. This workshop drew insights from more than 50 distinguished global experts from governments, energy companies, international organizations, academia, the financial community, and civil society on the role of the energy sector in climate mitigation. Dr. Venkatachalam Anbumozhi, Senior Economist at ERIA, made a presentation on the implications of the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) and planned policies of major Asian economies for energy markets and long term-climate objectives. In his interventions, referring to ERIA studies, he also brought out tangible and pragmatic renewable energy targets being implemented by East Asia Summit economies that can raise climate ambitions without holding back economic growth.

The results of this workshop also provided essential input in shaping the analysis, key findings, and messages of the World Energy Outlook Special Report being prepared by IEA for release in June.