5. INVOLVEMENT OF DEVELOPING COUNTRIES IN THE STANDARDISATION PROCESS
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art of the role of standards is to facilitate trade. It has also been identified that using renewable energy can support economic growth, social welfare, health provisions, reduction in fossil fuel use, and other benefits in locations such as rural areas. Therefore, the development of standards and the access and ability to provide products against those standards is going to be an important integration process, if standards are going to remain globally relevant. Standards-makers need to be sensitive when developing workstreams and fully understand the implications and support needed in developing countries when standards are used. Renewable energy considerations in developing countries are very different to those in developed countries. While the technologies may be, and usually are, the same, their implementation and requirements are often driven by different needs and issues. ISO has a long-established policy committee – DEVCO – specifically to address the needs of developing countries in terms of standardisation. With the emphasis on energy-related issues, and particularly with the growth in renewable energy technologies, there needs to be closer engagement between ISO SAG-E, DEVCO and the renewable energy-related technical committees. Similarly, IEC has established the IEC Affiliate Country Programme that offers developing countries a form of participation in the IEC standards development process without the financial burden of actual membership, by making full use of an electronic environment. This type of mechanism may
Recommendation 11 – Engagement from developing countries in existing programmes that may support their involvement in the standardisation process for renewables is crucial Exploration with ISO, IEC and other partners whether more engagement through programmes, such as ISO DEVCO and IEC Affiliate Country Programme for matters relating to renewable energy, would be an effective way of enhancing the involvement of developing countries in the standardisation process.
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International Standardisation in the Field of Renewable Energy
TC Meeting
Region B delegates
Region A delegates
Region C delegates
FIGURE 11: REGIONAL ENGAGEMENT IN TECHNICAL COMMITTEES
ensure that developing countries have the capacity to engage more fully in the development of renewable energy technologies. In addition to these existing mechanisms, two other opportunities might be explored to facilitate increased engagement by representatives from developing countries, or from countries with limited technical expertise, in a particular renewable energy technology. 1.
For those wishing to engage, but with limited budgets, potential language barriers, or limited opportunities to travel to meetings, the options are: