UNFC: enhanced energy security and sustainability

Mr. Hongpeng Liu, Chief of the Energy Security and Water Resources Section at ESCAP, opened a workshop on the United Nations Framework Classification for Fossil Energy and Mineral Reserves and Resources 2009 (UNFC) in Bangkok on 9 February. Mr. Liu highlighted the critical role of fossil fuel and mineral resources for development in the region, and noted that it is a priority for ESCAP countries to be able to grow and thereby address development. “Resources are limited and access to them could become contentious. It becomes essential to be able to assess the supply base and reserves in a scientific manner that is accepted by all” observed Mr. Liu. Asia-Pacific must move forward with efficient resource management and development.  UNFC is a critical step in that direction. "Implementing the UNFC will help the ESCAP region with accurate resource assessments that will promote enhanced energy security and sustainability". 

The Workshop was organized by the Coordinating Committee for Geoscience Programmes in East and South-east Asia (CCOP), in cooperation with ECE and ESCAP, under its Enhancing Public Petroleum Management Programme (funded by the Norwegian Government). The goal of the programme is to create the highest possible value for society from petroleum resources in order to improve the quality of life of the people in CCOP Member Countries.

Mr. Per Blystad, Senior Advisor in the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate, explained that one should not underestimate the importance of efficiency in upstream resource management. Current forecasts show that in 2035, fossil fuels will provide about 80% of primary energy. It is therefore critical that non-renewable energy resources be managed efficiently. Mr. Blystad noted “a common classification system could significantly enhance our ability to document and evaluate the potential resource base in a consistent and accurate manner, leading to a more reliable database for global energy studies. The UNFC is such a system and the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate is proud to have been integrally involved in its development since 2002. Development of the classification is not yet finished, as the specifications remain to be finalized and those need to be at hand for the system to be complete. Thus, the coming years will be critical." Specifications are the secondary rules necessary to ensure an appropriate level of consistency in application of the UNFC.

Government representatives from the minerals and petroleum sectors from Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Korea, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam participated in the two-day event.

Professor He Qingcheng, Director, CCOP Technical Secretariat, observed that the UNFC system captures common principles and provides a tool for consistent reporting of extractive activities, regardless of the commodity. “The UNFC paves the way towards improved and efficient global communications among stakeholders that will then aid stability and security of supplies with better understood rules and guidelines. This is also relevant as we move forward towards securing affordable, sustainable and more environmentally-friendly resources that CCOP countries are also advocating” stated Professor He.

Dr. Ian Lambert, Group Leader of Geoscience Australia, underlined the value of the UNFC as a universal template. Geoscience Australia is a Government agency that evaluates Australia’s national stocks of minerals and energy resources. “Industry, financial, national and international resource reporting systems should be mapped to a universal template – the UNFC 2009 – to clarify the similarities and differences between systems in use around the world” observed Dr. Lambert. “Currently, at national and international levels, we are comparing and adding estimates that are not compatible, and this is an unsatisfactory situation.”

For more information on the UNFC or the Expert Group on Resource Classification, visit: http://unece.org/energy/se/reserves.html and/or contact Ms. Charlotte Griffiths at:  reserves.energy@unece.org.  For further information on CCOP and/or the EPPM Programme contact Mr. Simplicio Caluyong at: sim@ccop.or.th