International Energy Agency facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
International Energy Agency

Member countries     Association countries      Accession countries
Abbreviation	IEA
Established	November 1974; 50 years ago (1974-11)
Type	Autonomous intergovernmental organisation
Headquarters	9, rue de la Fédération, Paris, France
Membership	31 member countries Australia Austria Belgium Canada Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Ireland Italy Japan Lithuania Luxembourg Mexico Netherlands New Zealand Norway Poland Portugal Slovakia South Korea Spain Sweden Switzerland Turkey United Kingdom United States
Official languages	English
Executive Director	Fatih Birol
Deputy Executive Director	Mary Burce Warlick

The International Energy Agency (IEA) is a Paris-based autonomous intergovernmental organisation, established in 1974, that provides policy recommendations, analysis and data on the global energy sector. The 31 member countries and 13 association countries of the IEA represent 75% of global energy demand.

The IEA was set up under the framework of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in the aftermath of the 1973 oil crisis to respond to physical disruptions in global oil supplies, provide data and statistics about the global oil market and energy sector, promote energy savings and conservation, and establish international technical collaboration. Since its founding, the IEA has also coordinated use of the oil reserves that its members are required to hold.

In subsequent decades, the IEA's role expanded to cover the entire global energy system, encompassing traditional fuels such as gas, and coal as well as cleaner and fast-growing energy sources and technologies including renewable energy sources; solar photovoltaics, wind power, biofuels as well as nuclear power, and hydrogen, and the critical minerals needed for these technologies.

The core activity of the IEA is providing policy advice to its member states and Associated countries to support their energy security and advance their transition to clean energy. Recently, it has focused in particular on supporting global efforts to accelerate clean energy transition, mitigate climate change, reach net zero emissions, and prevent global temperatures from rising above 1.5 °C. All IEA member countries have signed the Paris Agreement which aims to limit warming to 1.5 °C, and two thirds of IEA member governments have made commitments to emission neutrality by 2050.

Carré Suffren, the building where the IEA headquarters is located.

The IEA's current executive director is Fatih Birol, who took office in late 2015. IEA publishes a range of reports and other information including its flagship publication, the annual World Energy Outlook, as well as the Net Zero by 2050 report.

History

The IEA was founded on November 18, 1974, after the 1973 oil crisis, to avoid future shocks by helping to ensure reliable energy supplies, promote energy efficiency, ensure energy security and encourage technological research and innovation.

The Agreement on an International Energy Program (IEP Agreement) established the mandates and structure of the IEA, chartering it as an autonomous organisation under the umbrella of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

The IEA operates autonomously, with its own budget and governance structure. The organization began with 16 founding member countries and has since expanded to 31, with the latest addition being Lithuania in 2022. Full members of the IEA must also be members of the OECD and are required to hold 90 days worth of oil imports as emergency stocks. These emergency stocks can be released to stabilize oil markets worldwide and have been activated five times: January 1991 due to the Gulf War, 2005 after devastation in the Gulf of Mexico from hurricanes Katrina and Rita, 2011 during the Libyan crisis, and twice in 2022 in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

In addition to the emergency release mechanism, the IEA's initial mandates include reducing dependence on oil, developing alternative energy sources, energy research and development, and collaboration with oil-producing companies and countries to create a stable energy market. Members are expected to draw up plans on demand reduction and efficiency measures that can be implemented during energy emergencies.

In 2015, the IEA's chief economist Fatih Birol was appointed executive director, the first time an official from within the organization was picked to lead it. They have a mandate to modernize the agency on three major pillars: broadening the IEA's mandate on energy security beyond oil to include natural gas and electricity; increasing engagement in emerging economies through new Association partnerships; and expanding the IEA's core focus on clean energy technology and energy efficiency.

IEA chief Fatih Birol called on policymakers to do more to speed up the energy transition and reduce emissions

The new category of "Association countries" was created in 2015, allowing countries that do not fit the criteria for IEA membership to become affiliated with the organization and participate in its work. China, Indonesia, and Thailand were the first to join and the IEA now has thirteen Association countries, including Ukraine since July 2022. IEA member and Association countries represent over 75% of global energy consumption.

In 2021, IEA chief Fatih Birol called on policymakers to do more to do more to accelerate the clean energy transition and reduce emissions, saying that "Clean-energy technologies are slowly but surely going to replace the existing energy industry."

After the IEA's 2022 Ministerial meeting, a bi-annual high-level meeting of IEA countries, member countries once again expanded the organisation's mandate to include accelerating the global clean energy transition by "supporting countries in the global effort to attain net zero greenhouse gas emissions in the energy sector by mid-century." The "IEA 3.0" mandate also doubles down on strengthening energy security and recognizes the importance of tracking critical minerals and materials to the clean energy transition.

Leadership

Executive Directors of the International Energy Agency

No.	Name	Country of origin	Took office	Left office	Previous position	Ref.
1	Ulf Lantzke	Germany	1975	31 March 1984	Special Advisor on Energy Issues to the Secretary General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
2	Helga Steeg	Germany	1 July 1984	30 September 1994	Director-General for Trade, Federal Ministry of Finance of the Federal Republic of Germany
3	Robert Priddle	United Kingdom	1 December 1994	31 December 2002	Head of Consumer and Corporate Affairs, UK Department of Energy and Trade and Industry
4	Claude Mandil	France	1 February 2003	31 August 2007	Chairman and CEO of the Institut français du pétrole, 2000–2003
5	Nobuo Tanaka	Japan	1 September 2007	31 August 2011	Director for Science, Technology and Industry at the OECD, 1992–2007
6	Maria van der Hoeven	Netherlands	1 September 2011	31 August 2015	Minister of Economic Affairs of the Netherlands, 2007–2010
7	Fatih Birol	Turkey	1 September 2015	Incumbent	Chief Economist, International Energy Agency

Structure

The IEA's structure includes a Governing Board, Ministerial Meetings, and Standing Groups and Committees.

The Governing Board constitutes the main decision-making body of the organisation. It is composed of member country representatives and meets three to four times a year. The Governing Board is responsible for the IEA's administrative proceedings and approving binding decisions in relation to energy developments.

The IEA Ministerial Meeting is the biennial gathering of energy ministers who determine the broad direction of the IEA. The Ministerial allows for the development of ideas which are subsequently put to the Governing Board.

Standing Groups meet multiple times a year and are made up of officials from member states. The IEA has several Standing Groups and Committees, focusing on energy research and technology, long-term cooperation, emergency preparedness, and other topics.

Membership

The 31 member countries and 13 association countries of the IEA represent 75% of global energy demand.

Member countries

Only OECD member states may join the IEA. Member are required to maintain total oil stock levels equivalent to at least 90 days of the previous year's net imports. Member countries commit to respond to significant oil disruptions through a collective action to allow more crude oil to enter the global market.

Country	Membership	Notes
Australia	1979
Austria	18 November 1974	Founding member
Belgium	18 November 1974	Founding member
Canada	18 November 1974	Founding member
Czech Republic	2001
Denmark	18 November 1974	Founding member
Estonia	2014
Finland	1992
France	1992
Germany	18 November 1974	Founding member
Greece	1976
Hungary	1997
Ireland	18 November 1974	Founding member
Italy	18 November 1974	Founding member
Japan	18 November 1974	Founding member
Lithuania	2022
Luxembourg	18 November 1974	Founding member
Mexico	2018
Netherlands	18 November 1974	Founding member
New Zealand	1977
Norway	18 November 1974	Founding member (under a special Agreement)
Portugal	1981
Poland	2 October 2007
Slovakia	7 March 2007
South Korea	20 April 2001
Spain	18 November 1974	Founding member
Sweden	18 November 1974	Founding member
Switzerland	18 November 1974	Founding member
Turkey	18 November 1974	Founding member
United Kingdom	18 November 1974	Founding member
United States	18 November 1974	Founding member

Accession countries

Accession countries are those going through the process of becoming full members. The process involves authorisation by the Governing Board, discussions with the executive director, and the sharing of information related to the criteria for membership with the Secretariat.

The following countries are currently undergoing the accession process:

•  Chile
•  Colombia
•  Israel

Association countries

Association was formally launched in 2015 and currently includes 13 countries. The IEA collaborates with Association countries on a wide range of energy-related issues determined through joint programmes of work. Association countries may also participate in most Standing Groups and Ministerial meetings. Egypt and Argentina joined as Association countries in March 2022, and Ukraine was formally invited on 16 June 2022, and joined in July 2022.

 Argentina

 Brazil

 China

 Egypt

 India

 Indonesia

 Kenya

 Morocco

 Senegal

 Singapore

 South Africa

 Thailand

 Ukraine

Areas of work

The IEA produces analyses on all energy sources and technologies, on global and regional markets, as well as specific country-level reports and studies on key technologies, minerals, and materials for the clean energy transition. It also produces comprehensive data and statistics for over 150 countries.

The IEA's analytical work is split into various categories including policy recommendations, tracking, market forecasts, technical roadmapping, and scenario analysis.

Data

The IEA publishes comprehensive data, statistics, and analysis that inform national energy policies and support long-term planning for energy sector investments. The IEA analyses and releases data and information on trends in energy supply, demand, prices, public research and development, and energy efficiency metrics. The data also serves to track short- and long-term trends in countries energy transitions.

The Policies and Measures Database (PAMS) makes available to the public data on government policies and programs to reduce carbon emissions, support energy efficiency, and improve the development and use of renewable and clean energy sources. The database compiles data from several IEA and International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) data sources dating back to 1999 and includes information on past, current, and planned policy measures.

Scenarios

IEA publications give projections based on sets of assumptions called scenarios. Currently-used scenarios include:

• Stated Policies Scenario (STEPS): Assumes implementation of governments' existing policies and firm commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• Announced Pledges Scenario (APS): Assumes implementation of policies as in the STEPS, and also assumes fulfillment of looser pledges that are not yet backed by policy and legislation.
• Net Zero Scenario (NZE): Assumes implementation of the IEA's pathway to net zero emissions by 2050 while minimising cost and meeting key UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Older scenarios include:

• 450 Scenario: Environmental groups have become critical of the IEA's 450 Scenario (created to align with the 2009 Copenhagen Accord), contending it does not align with up-to-date climate science, nor is it consistent with the Paris climate agreement that aspires to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. In March 2017, the IEA (along with IRENA) published a report that considers a safer climate scenario than their current 450S. This scenario offers improved chances of limiting global warming to less than two degrees, but – according to research organization Oil Change International – still falls short of adequately addressing climate science and the decarbonization required to reach agreed upon global climate limits. The IEA has stopped updating this safer climate scenario
• Sustainable Development Scenario: Concerns regarding the IEA's Sustainable Development Scenario (the successor to the 450 scenario) has also been raised by climate scientists and key financial institutions, who have called for 1.5°C scenario placed centrally in the World Energy Outlook. The IEA's Sustainable Development Scenario only gets to net-zero by 2070, two decades too late.

Key publications

World Energy Outlook (WEO)