United for Efficiency partners sponsored a side event “What do Nationally Determined Contributions Need to Succeed? Energy Efficiency” on 12 November, in Marrakesh, Morocco, at COP22. The event, organised by International Partnership for Energy Efficiency Cooperation and AOB Group, showcased initiatives and resources countries can use to scale up their energy-efficiency ambitions to achieve their nationally determined contributions in line with the Paris climate accord.

This event, moderated by Benoit Lebot, Executive Director, International Partnership for Energy Efficiency Cooperation, highlighted United for Efficiency, as well as the Clean Energy Ministerial’s Advanced Cooling Challenge and the GIZ Green Cooling Initiative.

“The recently agreed Montreal Protocol Kigali decisions provide momentum for action on climate-change mitigation through the phasedown of hydrofluorocarbons,” stated Mark Radka, Head of Energy Branch of Economy Division, UN Environment, at the opening session. “What’s significant is that parties also recognized the advantage of looking at energy-efficiency gains as they make plans for the phasedown.”

Radka added, “United for Efficiency’s policy recommendations help countries make the transition to energy-efficient and climate-friendly products like refrigerators and air conditioners. Our collective impact is greatest when we come together under initiatives like United for Efficiency.”

“Public-private partnerships serve as catalyzers in accelerating market transformation toward energy efficiency. We need to get united, and United for Efficiency is a great example of this,” said Fatih Demiray, Manager, Regulatory Affairs & Compliance of Arçelik AŞ, a refrigerator-manufacturing partner of United for Efficiency.

Demiray added, “Arçelik AŞ has provided market intelligence to develop the United for Efficiency country savings assessments and is committed to providing technical assistance globally in line with its corporate sustainability strategy.”

United for Efficiency works with a group of private and technical institutions and governments in over 50 countries around the world. It promotes energy-efficient products and the establishment of an integrated policy approach, including energy efficiency standards and financial mechanisms, which accelerate market penetration.

International Partnership for Energy Efficiency Cooperation is an autonomous partnership of 16 major economies that seeks to accelerate the adoption of energy efficiency practices and policies. Its membership represents over 70 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions.