1. Introduction to the International Recommendations for Energy Statistics and why they are important
Side Event: International Recommendations for Energy Statistics: Achievements and future challenges New York, 21 February 2011

2. Outline Some historical background Consultation process
Content of IRES
Important elements of IRES
What lies ahead

3. Historical background
The work started in 2005 with a programme review on energy statistics to the UN Commission
In 2005 the ad-hoc expert group meeting on energy statistics was held in NY
Two groups were created in by the Statistical Commission to advance in energy statistics:
The Oslo Group on Energy Statistics
Intersec. Working Group on Energy Statistics (InterEnerStat)

4. The mandate of the Oslo Group on Energy Statistics:
Review and contribute to the updating of the United Nations handbooks and manuals on energy statistics; ….
The mandate of InterEnerStat:
harmonizing of data collection, processing and dissemination, by limiting duplication and/or by building links/bridges between existing energy statistics questionnaires, concepts, methods and timetables; …

5. In 2007, UNSD reviewed the work for the revision of the existing UN publications on energy stat. and decided that enough momentum had been created for the development of international recommendations for energy statistics
In 2009 the UN Statistical Commission endorsed the UNSD strategy for the preparation of IRES

6. Organization of the revision process
Substantive discussion and drafting
discussion on substantive issues (within the Oslo Group and InterEnerStat)
collection of country experience
drafting text
Consultation
Ad-hoc on specific issues with relevant groups such as the Expert Group on Classification, UNCEEA, London Group, FAO, UNFCCC, etc.
Worldwide consultation with countries and organizations (carried out in 2 stages)
Expert Group Meeting (Nov. 2010) prior to the IRES submission to the UN Statistical Commission

7. Worldwide consultation process
1st stage on the scope and content of IRES (May-June 2008);
2nd stage on the provisional draft of IRES (July-Aug 2010)
The consultation took place with countries and international regional organizations active in energy statistics

8. Content of IRES
IRES provides recommendations on different stages of the statistical process from: basic concepts, definitions and classifications to data sources, data compilation strategies, energy balances, data quality and statistical dissemination. IRES will provide a firm foundation for a long-term development of energy statistics based on the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics.

9. Outline of IRES
Chapter 1: Introduction. Chapter 2: Scope of energy statistics Chapter 3: Standard International Energy Products Classification Chapter 4: Measurement units and conversion factors Chapter 5: Energy Flows Chapter 6: Statistical units and data items Chapter 7: Data collection and compilation Chapter 8: Energy balances Chapter 9: Data quality assurance and metadata Chapter 10: Dissemination Chapter 11: Use of basic energy statistics and balances Annex A: Primary/secondary and renewable /non-renewable products Annex B: Additional tables on conversion factors, calorific values and measurement units Annex C: Commodity balance References

10. Key elements of IRES
An international standard classification (SIEC) and harmonized definitions of energy products
Statistical units and data items
Data collection and compilation
Energy balances
Data quality assurance and metadata
Dissemination

11. What lies ahead Preparation of the Energy Statistics Compilers Manual
Technical assistance to countries to implement the new recommendations
Develop a knowledge base on energy statistics that can be consulted by countries and other users of energy statistics
Revise the UNSD Questionnaire to reflect the new recommendations and to harmonize international data collections

12. Thank you!