CHINA ENERGY EFFICIENCY REPORT Protocol on Energy Efficiency and Environmental Aspects (2018)

China became an Observer to the Energy Charter Conference when it signed the International Energy Charter political declaration in The Hague, Netherlands, in May 2015. Observer countries progress towards accession to the ECT by aligning their legal and regulatory frameworks with the provisions of the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT) and the Protocol on Energy Efficiency and Related Environmental Aspects (PEEREA). When Observer countries accede to the ECT they typically ratify the PEEREA at the same time. The PEEREA is a political agreement and its focus is on practical implementation of political commitment to improve energy efficiency consistent with sustainable development through efficient energy markets and market-orientated price formation, effective policies and measures as well as through cooperation with other Contracting Parties to the Protocol. PEEREA provides guidance on the development of energy efficiency programmes, indicates areas of cooperation and provides a framework for the development of cooperative and coordinated action. China’s Energy Efficiency Report details the extent of alignment of China’s energy efficiency policy with the PEEREA. Effective alignment will facilitate the country’s smooth accession to the PEEREA and the ECT.