• Type General news
  • Date 19 December 2013

KAPSARC releases first Research Policy Paper

In December 2013, KAPSARC released its first Workshop Policy Brief entitled Measuring the energy intensity of nations: Towards a framework for transparent comparisons.

In September 2013, KAPSARC hosted a workshop in London to explore whether it was feasible and reasonable to gain a better understanding of national energy intensity by measuring the embodied energy in goods traded across national borders. If so, this information could provide decision-makers with a more transparent picture of a nation’s energy intensity and greenhouse gas emissions.

Several other issues were discussed, including the proper normalization of energy intensity, stripping away uncontrollable factors, such as local weather, in order to make meaningful comparisons of indicators between countries.

Moreover, energy productivity was also identified as a closely related, but more positive, metric that may provide a clearer focus on strategies to align economic growth with energy efficiency and achieving environmental outcomes. This is because while it is difficult to achieve consensus on national greenhouse gas reduction targets, all nations are likely to support ambitious energy productivity goals.

The Energy Productivity and Intensity Workshop Policy Brief can be accessed here