KAPSARC hosted the first in a series of Energy Workshops in London on September 4 & 5, 2013. The workshop was attended by leading energy and economic thought leaders which included experts from the Oxford Institute of Energy Studies, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (FEEM), the International Energy Forum (IEF), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Economics for Energy, and Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources. Experts also attended from various universities worldwide, including the University of Oxford, Columbia University, Rice University, Duke University, the National University of Singapore, China’s Renmin University, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, and the University of Bath. The workshop followed the new KAPSARC signature meeting format with participants seated at a round table, which provided an informal atmosphere thereby encouraging free-flowing discussion.
The Energy Productivity and Intensity Workshop explored whether it was feasible to gain a better understanding of national energy intensity by measuring the embodied energy in goods traded across national borders. The resulting information could provide decision-makers with a more transparent picture of a nation’s energy intensity and greenhouse gas emissions.
The need to take into account specific national economic circumstances was highlighted so that meaningful comparisons of indicators could be made between countries. Important factors included: the path of historical economic development, industrial specialization, natural resource endowments, demographic change, cultural norms, energy prices, urbanization, geography, and climate. The effect of moving towards metrics that normalize for the embodied energy and carbon in trade was also discussed, as a significant part of the profile of a country’s energy intensity is embodied in its imports and exports of goods.
KAPSARC has produced a summary briefing for policymakers to reflect the insights from the workshop and the key conclusions. Working papers will also be released, and the Center will conduct follow up research. Read More