The IEC has offered to support the work of a new UN expert group set up by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to tackle the climate crisis. The 16-member panel is expected to make recommendations before the end of the year on the standards and definitions for setting net-zero targets.

“By pooling our expertise and knowledge, together we can find an efficient and fair way to measure and verify the global efforts to reduce carbon emissions,” said IEC Secretary-General Philippe Metzger.

“More than 100 years ago, IEC founder Lord Kelvin said that you can’t improve what you can’t measure. This remains true today. Together with ISO and ITU we are ready to leverage the expertise of our global network of standards and conformity assessment experts.”

Mr. Metzger said the IEC was committed to supporting efforts to build a more sustainable and inclusive world.

“For us, that means realizing an ‘All-Electric Society’ with a zero-carbon economy, which will ensure global prosperity by providing universal access to affordable energy, generated from renewable and sustainable sources.”

Mr. Metzger said that IEC work could also pave the way to achieving a circular economy that takes better care of our resources. He explained that international standards and conformity assessment are powerful tools that can help governments and regulators to implement policies more efficiently and to reach development goals more quickly.

The IEC recently launched a Global Impact Fund to help solve specific environmental, social or governance challenges using IEC International Standards and IEC Conformity Assessment Systems.

Each year, through a formal call for proposals, grants will be given to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) for the delivery of projects where IEC International Standards and Conformity Assessment Systems can have a significant impact. While projects generally target one specific country, they are designed so that they can be replicated in other countries or scaled up for regional benefit.

The IEC Global Impact Fund focuses on SMEs given their well-recognized role as innovators in technology. IEC member countries and affiliates in the country where the project is implemented will serve as focal points to help the SME further engage with national stakeholders and leverage their project.

Initial funding for the IEC Global Impact Fund will be provided by a contribution from the IEC as part of a three-year pilot. Further contributions are provided by external donors whose values and activities align with the core principles of the IEC.

IEC International Standards and IEC Conformity Assessment (CA) Systems contribute directly and indirectly to all of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). IEC work provides the foundation that allows all countries to put in place sustainable, resilient infrastructure to stimulate economic development and innovation and apply global best-practice to manage quality and risk.