Internat’l Standards Compliance Helps Countries’ Fulfil Climate Pledges

As world leaders and policymakers gather for the 29th Conference of the Parties on Climate Change (COP29), which will take place from 11 to 22 November in Baku, Azerbaijan, the spotlight will be on countries’ progress against their climate commitments and pledges. 2024 will be the hottest year since records began, breaking 2023’s heat record, and it will be the first year to breach the 1.5°C warming limit.

Alongside record-breaking temperatures, 2024 has seen unprecedented weather events worldwide, while the countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are massively off track to limit warming by 1.5°C. Instead, implementing them will lead to a catastrophic temperature rise of up to 3.1°C by the end of the century.

According to a new UN Environment Programme (UNEP) 2024 report, “Emissions Gap Report 2024: No more hot air … please!” In the next round of NDCs, nations must collectively commit to reducing 42% of annual GHG emissions by 2030, and 57% by 2035 and support this with rapid action; otherwise, the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C goal will be in jeopardy within a few years.

Complying with international standards can help countries achieve the Paris Agreement goals

International Standards are ready-to-use tools for governments, researchers, and industries that help increase devices and systems’ resilience, sustainability and efficiency. They also accelerate the achievement of the Paris Agreement, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the United Nations Call for Action on Adaptation and Resilience.

The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Standards is one of these international standards organisations. Founded in 1906, the IEC prepares and publishes international standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies – collectively known as “electrotechnology”.

Through real on-the-ground actions, IEC standards make it easy for policymakers to implement their objectives, such as clean energy, increased energy efficiency, sustainability, or a circular economy.

Applying IEC Standards will make critical infrastructure more climate-resilient, such as electrical grids, transportation, and medical systems. It will also enable the industry to build safe, efficient, sustainable products consistently.

The IEC compiles case studies of how countries have used and conformed to the IEC Standards to meet their climate policy objectives.  Below are just some examples of the many case studies featured in the report:

• The launch of the Solar Nova programme helped accelerate the deployment of solar PV systems in Singapore. The aim is to install 2 GW of solar PV by 2030. To successfully implement this project, Singapore has actively contributed to international standardisation in the IEC and has adopted many IEC Standards. Singapore has also led the standardisation for designing and installing utility-scale floating PV power plants.
• The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and national stakeholders such as SASO (Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization) are convinced that renewable energy generation and new projects in e-mobility will lead to limiting the effects of climate change. The country is keen to strengthen its position in the field of solar energy and has published the Regulation for Solar Photovoltaic Systems, which regulates solar photovoltaics in the Saudi market since 2019. It has also recently published an Ele tric Vehicles Technical Regulation. All these publications rely on ISO/ IEC Standards as technical references.
• Australia became a full member of IEC TC 114 in 2020, lending its global marine energy expertise to this technical committee, which prepares standards for wave, tidal and other water current converters. It is a member of the Ocean Energy Systems Technology Collaboration Programme (OES) established by the International Energy Agency (IEA) to develop ocean wave and tidal current energy.
• Lower turbine prices drive the growing US wind energy market and industry. This makes wind energy competitive with all other energy sources, notably fossil fuels. This is especially the case with offshore wind energy. To speed up growth in the offshore wind energy market, IEC standards for wind energy systems are being adopted as national standards.

Read and download the IEC’s case studies: Climate initiatives that make a real difference. Learn how policymakers use international standards to take concrete climate action.

Conforming to international standards like the IEC can help countries scale up their renewable energy projects, reduce industry carbon emissions, and improve their energy systems.

The IEC offers a global institutional framework that allows the cooperation of thousands of experts from more than 170 countries.