Creating synergies between Energy and Transport statistics in the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals
The 
production of statistics is largely compartmentalised and there are few opportunities for the specialists from different sectors to share concerns and to discuss potential collaboration. However, there are obvious synergies that may be generated, leading to a more comprehensive and articulated approach to the production of statistics. These synergies were at the centre of the discussions organised in Brussels in March 28-30 by the MEDSTAT IV project between the sector of energy statistics and the sector of transport statistics. The Workshop gathered statisticians from the National Statistical Institutes and from the Energy and Transport Ministries. It was the first time in the long history of the EU-MED cooperation in statistics and of the MEDSTAT projects that two sectors were brought together. Their challenge was to discuss how they could collaborate for developing new performance indicators in these two sectors, in relation in particular with specific Sustainable Development Goals.
First, the participants from each of the sectors presented in turn what they were doing in addressing the monitoring of performance in their sectors. This was the occasion to discuss the previous achievements regarding Energy efficiency indicators for the energy sector and the Economic performance indicators for the transport sector in each of the ENP-S countries. But what started as a one way exchange turned rapidly into a concrete two ways dialogue between the sectors on indicators linked to both the energy and the transport statistical systems, such as the indicators for the monitoring of energy efficiency in the transport sector.
The dialogue benefited from experiences and lessons brought by representatives from ITF-OECD regarding transport performance indicators, as well as from the International Energy Agency regarding recommendations for the production of energy efficiency indicators and from the Environment and Sustainable Development Ministry from France regarding the implementation of the Agenda 2030 and the system of monitoring indicators for the SDGs developed in this European country.
At the end of 3 fruitful days of exchange, the mutual understanding was dramatically increased between the two sectors and the participants agreed upon strengthening the production of key indicators in their respective sectors and working together in their respective countries on the production of specific common indicators addressing energy efficiency in the transport sector. They also recommended that the cooperation between the two sectors of the project be continued and intensified through more common regional events and joint outputs such as a MEDSTAT IV publication on Energy and transport performance in the perspective of SDGs.
For more information, please contact Medstat4@expertisefrance.fr
