Forty-five governments from around the world took part in the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Global Conference on Energy Efficiency and endorsed the goal of doubling the average global rate of improvements by the end of the decade.

The aim was to foster sustainable economic growth and help put the world on a secure and affordable path towards net-zero emissions.

In a ministerial statement released following the 8th Global Conference on Energy Efficiency in Versailles, France, governments from across Africa, the Americas, Asia and Europe highlighted the critical role that energy efficiency can play in improving living standards and energy security – and in accelerating the clean energy transition toward reaching net zero emissions by 2050.

This means ramping up annual energy efficiency progress from 2.2% today to over 4% annually by 2030 in a move that would create jobs, expand energy access, reduce energy bills, decrease air pollution, and diminish countries’ reliance on fossil fuel imports – among other social and economic benefits.

A diverse range of ministers and high-profile representatives from around the world took to the stage to share perspectives and lessons from their efforts to improve energy efficiency, ranging from Vice Chairman of China’s National Development and Reform Commission Zhao Chenxin to Mauritania’s Minister of Petroleum, Mines and Energy Abdessalam Mohamed Saleh and Sweden’s Deputy Prime Minister Ebba Busch.

The conference was the most significant high-level event for the sector to date, convening over 600 people from 90 countries under one roof, including over 30 ministers and 50 CEOs.

It was co-hosted by France’s Minister for Energy Transition Agnès Pannier-Runacher and IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol, in partnership with Schneider Electric. Governments with official delegations at the event represented 70% of global energy consumption.