After a decade of staggering growth which has led to China becoming the world’s biggest energy consumer, Nobuo Tanaka has stressed that closer alignment with the International Energy Agency would be of mutual benefit.

The IEA’s Executive Director outlined five key reasons why increased co-operation with the Agency would be a good move for China. He also acknowledged that for the IEA to continue playing an effective role in the global market, it is important to involve major emerging economies like China.

Mr Tanaka added that China is not just a growing consumer of interest to the IEA but also to the wider international framework, on which it is becoming increasingly dependent for its own energy security needs.

“China’s rise is not only a case of up, but also in,” he said. “Into international markets, into political frameworks which guide those markets, into joint mechanisms for managing crises, and perhaps one day, into the IEA as a global energy governance forum.”

Mr Tanaka was speaking at the Second Global Think Tank Summit on 25 June 2011, two days after the IEA announced that its member countries have agreed to release 60 million barrels of oil in the coming month in response to the ongoing disruption of oil supplies from Libya. Among those attending the summit in Beijing were the Deputy Premier of China, Li Keqiang, and former US Secretary of State, Dr Henry Kissinger, who played a key role in the founding of the IEA in 1974.

Rising demand

At the summit, Mr Tanaka shared IEA analysis regarding China’s future importance to the global energy market over the next few decades.

China’s electricity demand is projected to almost triple from 2008 to 2035. While oil imports are expected to jump from 4.3 million barrels of oil per day (mb/d) in 2009 to 12.8 mb/d in 2035 – representing all of current Saudi and Mexican production combined – natural gas imports also increase to account for 53% of Chinese gas demand in 2035. On top of this, China’s net imports of coal increase to the year 2015, but depending on what government policies are implemented, it could become either a net exporter by 2035, or possibly import the equivalent of all of today’s internationally traded coal.

Mr Tanaka stressed that the IEA respects the sovereign decisions of all of its partners, and that deepening ties with non-member countries is a long, complex, and sometimes slow process.

“But the IEA also recognizes the imperative to bring major emerging economies [like China] into its fold if credibility to act in the name of the global market – such as last week’s stock release – is to be maintained,” he added.

Reasons for closer co-operation

The Executive Director went on to cite five reasons why closer co-operation with the IEA would be beneficial for China:

•Enhanced energy security through support from IEA partners as well as coordination during major disruptions in the supply of oil; •Participation in a community which is influential in shaping future energy security and sustainability on a global level; •Participation in open discussions relating to technology policy and better access to state-of-the-art technologies themselves; •The opportunity to learn and benefit from best practices of other countries in areas such as statistics or energy efficiency; •The chance to demonstrate to the world that China is reaching the point of development where it can confidently engage along-side other developed economies in areas of global importance. Mr Tanaka concluded by stating that China’s recent evolution represents nothing less than a transformation of the global energy economy.

“At the IEA we are proud to be able to embrace such change, but urge the new major emerging economies like China to assume their role as equal partners in global energy governance,” he said. “Together we can ensure that the transition to a secure, affordable and sustainable energy future is a harmonious one.”

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