Introducing

Three of the objectives that the Treaty of Izmir has set for the Organization directly relate to the Directorate of Energy, Minerals and Environment. These are:

•  To intensify mobilization and utilization of the ECO region’s natural resources, in particular energy resources;

•  To facilitate cooperation in the fields of ecology and environmental protection within the region;

•  To promote mutually beneficial interaction and cooperation between ECO and other regional and international organizations as well as financial institutions.

These ECO's objectives are pursued with the help of several ECO Expert and Working Groups, involving Member States and the Directorate of Energy, Minerals and Environment. 

Energy

The ECO region with a rich resource potential of oil and gas as well as hydroelectric power, going to play a prominent role in the energy markets of the world. At the same time, member states face challenges ensuring sustainable energy development.  

The 1^st ECO Ministerial meeting on Energy/Petroleum (Islamabad, November 2000) adopted a Plan of Action for Energy/Petroleum cooperation (see the Ministerial meetings section). The objectives of that Plan of Action (2001-05) were: to implement the existing strategic energy cooperation programmes; promote ways and means to expand sustainable development and efficient use of the energy resources; strengthen existing regional institutions related to energy activities; establish training, research and development network; establish an ECO policy framework; to encourage regular exchange of information on the formulation and implementation of energy policies and to promote sustainable self-supporting cooperation activities covering issues of common interest.

 Recent ECO activities in the Energy sector included the following: 

• Interconnection of ECO countries power systems (see the ECO projects  section);
• Development of regional Power Trading;
• ECO Region’s Oil and Gas Pipeline Route(s);
• Production, refining and consumption of Oil and Gas in ECO Member States;
• Development of the New and Renewable Sources of Energy;
• Energy Efficiency and Conservation;
• Energy data collection and updating;
• Exchange of information on technical experts, technology transfer, operational experience, research and technical publications as well as energy strategies, programmes, policy and implementation experience;
• Energy Training;
• Energy Resources development and their Environmental Impact Assessments

 The latest developments in the Energy field are as follows:

 Interconnection of ECO Countries’ Power Systems. One of the priorities of the Energy Plan of Action is the interconnection of power systems of ECO member states. The Consultant, M/s NESPAK (Pakistan), is preparing a feasibility study financed by IDB. The first Inception Report of study was finalized in February 2008. According to the new schedule of work, endorsed by the 7th SETG meeting on power (Islamabad, February 2008), the Consultant should finalize the study in April 2009. Pakistan's Ministry of Water and Power is acting as the coordinating authority for this project.

Power Trading. The development of ECO Power Trade Strategy will be important for the implementation of the project of Interconnection of ECO Countries Power Systems. A workshop on Regional Energy Trade in the ECO region was conducted in cooperation with the World Bank (WB) in June 2005 in Tehran. It made a number of recommendations on practical steps towards regional energy trade, including analytical studies. The Secretariat is pursuing with the World Bank a study titled “South Asia: Policy Paper for Regional Energy Trade: Trading Arrangements and Risk Management in International Electricity Trade". Commissioned for the ECO region, under the Bank's Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) it was shared with the member states in July 2007. The findings and recommendations of the Report, would be discussed as part of the 2nd ECO/WB Workshop scheduled for July 2008 in Tehran.

Interregional Working Group on power trade. To facilitate regional power trade and interconnection for enhanced energy security and sustainable development, the Secretariat is in the process of establishing an interregional Working Group on Power Trade and Interconnection lead by ESCAP and ECO, with the participation of ASEAN, South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), PIF. The 11th Consultative meeting among Executive Heads of Sub-regional organizations and ESCAP (Almaty, May 2007) approved the Terms of Reference (TOR) of the above Working Group. According to the TOR, the aforementioned Sub-regional organizations will designate appropriate representatives to that Working Group. The first meeting of this Working Group is included in the ECO Calendar of Events/Meetings for the years 2008-09.           

Energy Efficiency & Conservation. Turkey has, since 2002, hosted six International Practical Training Courses on Energy Efficiency and Conservation.  Held under the auspices of their National Energy Conservation Center (NECC), these were attended by 57 engineers from the ECO Member States.  The last Course was conducted on 19-30 November 2007 in Ankara. These Courses cover several fields, such as energy management, energy audit, and economic analysis, energy efficiency on steam systems, electricity and lighting.  

 New and Renewable Sources of Energy. Taking into account the importance of development of renewable sources of energy, which are friendly to Environment, the Secretariat formulated formal proposals. While considering them, the 15th RPC meeting (Tehran, 2005) recommended establishing an ECO Working Group on New and Renewable Sources of Energy (NRSE). The 18th RPC meeting welcomed the readiness of the Iranian authorities to host the 1st meeting of ECO Working Group on NRSE. It was accordingly, included in the Calendar of Events/Meetings for 2008-09. 

Energy Information.  On the recommendation of the 4th HLETG meeting (Ceihan, May 2005) the Secretariat has collected relevant data about the Oil and Gas sectors of the member states and placed it at the ECO Website. It is available under the energy information   section of this Website. 

 Coordination. The Member States, as the Action Plan envisages, were requested to designate their National Focal Points (NFP's) to coordinate and oversee the implementation of its country component. Regular contacts are maintained with the NFP's to facilitate the implementation of planned actions in this field.

Minerals

Plan of Action for co-operation among the ECO countries in the field of Minerals. The First ECO Mineral Experts Meeting (Tehran, October 29-31, 2001) considered and endorsed the Plan of Action for co-operation among the ECO countries. It  laid emphasis on facilitation of intra-region trade and investment in the mineral sector, enhanced exchange of the sector-related resource and technological  information and  experience  as well as promotion of necessary conditions for enhancing  inflow of capital and advanced technology from within and outside the region.  

ECO Mineral Data Booklet. In the field of Minerals, a useful development has been the publication of the first version of ECO Mineral Data Booklet (MDB). It was published and distributed by the Project Manager (Turkey) during the 3rd ECO Mineral Experts Group meeting (Islamabad, December 2006). Now the Project Manager is working in coordination with the national focal points of member states for the publication of the revised edition of MDB. 

 Establishing an ECO Geosciences Database and compilation of Mineral Distribution Map of ECO region. During the meeting of the ECO heads of Geological Surveys (Tehran, May 2007), Iran was designated as the Project Manager for establishing a Web-based system of unified and valid ECO Geosciences Database, as well as the compilation of Mineral Distribution Map of ECO region. Member States were requested to designate their national focal points to coordinate implementation of both projects. In order to facilitate the above projects, Iran has since allocated USD 350, 000/- for the feasibility study on ECO Geosciences Database. ECO is providing USD 50,000/- in partial funding of the project.  

Training Course. The Geosciences Organization of Iran (Project Manager) hosted a Training Course for experts from the member states involved in the preparation of ECO Geosciences Database. This Training Course was conducted for three weeks from 16 February 2008, in Karaj, Iran. Twelve experts from Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey and Turkmenistan participated in it.

Environment

With the increasing urbanization and industrialization and attendant degradation of environment, particularly in developing countries, protection of environment has become a most challenging task for the international community, particularly for regional organizations. It is a priority of the ECO member countries and the ECO as an organization.  

Plan of Action for Cooperation among ECO Member States on Environment. The first ECO Ministerial Meeting on Environment held in Tehran, December 2002 (see the Ministerial Meetings section) adopted the Plan of Action for Cooperation on Environment (2003-2007). It is a comprehensive plan of activities, covering all the main aspects of protection of environment in the region.  The Second ECO Ministerial Meeting on Environment (Istanbul, 6 October 2004) adopted modifications to the Plan of Action. The 3rd ECO Ministerial Meeting on Environment (Almaty, 30 June 2006) followed the Declaration of the 9th ECO Summit (Baku 5 May 2006) which had expressed deep concern on the continued degradation of the environment. It underscored early implementation of the Plan of Action for Cooperation among ECO Member States on Environment (2003-2007). The meeting extended the term of the Plan of Action up to the year 2010. 

ECO Working Group on Environment (WGE) was established to prepare  implementation plans for cooperation in different fields of Environment according to the Plan of Action. It has held four meetings during the years 2004-2006 in Ankara, Islamabad and Tehran (twice). These meetings focused on the issues of implementation of the Plan of Action, consideration and endorsement of modifications to the Plan of Action. The 5th WGE meeting in will be held in Baku in May 2008. 

National Focal Points on Environment. As envisaged in the Plan of Action on Environment, National Focal Points (NFPs) were appointed by all member states to facilitate coordination of the implementation of the Plan of Action. The ECO Secretariat has been in direct e-mail communication with NFPs to enhance working contacts. 

National Progress Report. The Member States were required, under the Plan of Action on Environment, to submit to the Secretariat their National Progress Report (NPRs) on the implementation of the Plan of Action. The 3rd ECO Ministerial meeting on Environment, taking into account the past experience, agreed that the NPRs would be submitted once, in the beginning of the year, on an agreed format. The ECO Secretariat would prepare and submit an integrate regional report to CPR/RPC, and the concerned authorities of member states in the first quarter of each year. This will be considered by the 5th WGE on Environment (Baku, May 2008) and the 4th ECO Ministerial Meeting on Environment.

Work Plan on Biodiversity. As directed by the 3rd Ministerial Meeting on Environment, the Biodiversity Meeting was held on 24-25 April 2007 in Islamabad. It reached consensus on a Work Plan on Biodiversity in the ECO Region for the years 2007-2015 as well as the Calendar of Events. The Meeting agreed that national focal points be designated for the above Work Plan. The 126th Meeting of CPR (28th August 2007) welcomed and approved the offer of Kazakhstan to be designated as a coordinating country for the follow-up and implementation of the ECO Work Plan on Biodiversity (2007-2015).  

Task Force Meeting on Ecotourism. As decided by the 3rd Ministerial Meeting on Environment, the Task Force Meeting on Ecotourism was convened on 16-17 December 2007 in Tehran. The meeting reviewed and adopted the recommendations of the Ecotourism Seminar (7-9 May 2007, Turkey) and emphasized the importance of their implementation.           The Iranian delegation proposed a Convention on Sustainable Nature-based Tourism as an instrument of governing ecotourism in the ECO region. The meeting welcomed the initiative and agreed, in principle, with the idea of having a convention on the subject. The Meeting also recognized the need to formulate a Plan of Action for cooperation in the field of Ecotourism in the ECO region. The next Meeting on Ecotourism would consider the draft Plan of Action. 

The ECO Bulletin on Environment. The Plan of Action had called for a Bulletin dedicated to news, subjects and recent environment developments, mainly relevant to the ECO region. It would be published by the ECO Secretariat and circulated to the ECO member states and concerned international circles. The first 4 issues of the Bulletin were published by the ECO Secretariat and circulated to the member states during the years 2004-2006. These are also available on the ECO Web site. The 5th issue of the bulletin was published in July 2007. The 6th issue will be published soon.

 The 4th ECO Ministerial Meeting on Environment. The Islamic Republic of Pakistan has offered to host the 4th ECO Ministerial Meeting on Environment in September/October 2008. This Meeting would consider the implementation of the Plan of Action for cooperation on Environment as well as other relevant issues and proposals by the member states. Exact date and venue of the meeting are being worked out in cordination with the the host authorities in Pakistan and will be circulated to member states shortly.