IEF members face challenges of economic growth, climate change, energy transition, chief says

HOUSTON - International Energy Forum (IEF) members face the challenges of improving their economies, addressing climate change and energy transition, IEF chief has said.

The gross domestic product is different for each of the IEF's 72 member countries, Xiansheng Sun, secretary general of IEF, told Xinhua on the sidelines of the CERAWeek held by the London-based information company IHS Markit. The event kicked off here on Monday.

"The economic plan for each country must meet the needs and satisfy the citizens of those countries," Sun said.

Coping with the climate change with a united effort is another challenge for IEF members, he added.

The Paris Agreement saw nearly all the countries in the world set an aspirational target of capping global warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Sun said the agreement is a response for action for the future generations and mankind. He also recognized that different countries have their own policies, situations and cultures that have an impact on their participation.

The transition of energy - the third challenge - is a must now, he stressed.

"Power had evolved from the burning of wood, coal, crude oil and gas to solar, wind, hydrates and nuclear," Sun said, adding that nations are changing to greener sources of energy that lower the amount of CO2 emissions.

Aside from those three challenges, the IEF must find what is the most popular and what is workable for each of its members, Sun said.

The 72-member IEF is a neutral facilitator of informal, open, informed and continuing global energy dialogue.

Accounting for around 90 percent of global supply and demand for oil and gas, it aims to foster greater mutual understanding and awareness of common energy interests among its member countries.

CERAWeek is an annual energy meeting, featuring prominent speakers from energy, technology and financial sectors. More than 3,000 representatives from over 50 countries and regions are attending this year's meeting.