Regional Training Workshop on SEEA-Energy and Energy Information in Almaty, Kazakhstan

From 17-20 December 2019, over 30 participants from 12 countries attended the Regional Training Workshop on the Production of the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting-Energy (SEEA-Energy) Accounts and the Use of Energy Information for Policy in Almaty, Kazakhstan, for countries of Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia (EECCA) and South-Eastern Europe (SEE). The training was organized by the United Nations Statistics Division in collaboration with the Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan on Statistics, ESCAP, UNECE, and with the support of Statistics Netherlands. 

 

The in-person regional workshop built upon a successful online training phase on the SEEA-Energy, which started in late-October 2019 and saw participation from approximately 500 participants worldwide. The online training phase consisted of several self-paced modules and three live webinar sessions that were delivered by international experts on SEEA-Energy. The online training phase provided a valuable opportunity to introduce participants to the key concepts of the SEEA-Energy.

 

In turn, the in-person regional workshop provided an opportunity for  participants from the EECCA and SEE regions to receive a more in-depth training. Participants came from both National Statistical Offices and Ministries of Energy and learned more about the SEEA-Energy methodology and its connections to basic energy statistics and energy balances through hands-on exercises and interactive presentations and quizzes. In addition, the workshop provided a valuable opportunity to discuss the use of energy information for policy. There was particular focus on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 7 on universal access to affordable, sustainable and modern energy for all. The workshop concluded with participants drawing up national plans for the development of SEEA-Energy and supporting energy statistics and their use for policy.