
  
3 
Foreword 
 
The International Energy Agency (IEA) was established in 1974 to promote 
energy security and provide authoritative analysis on energy for its 
member countries and beyond. Energy statistics have always been and 
remain at the heart of the work of the IEA. They provide a comprehensive 
view on energy production, transformation and final use for all forms of 
energy as well as the factors that influence energy choices such as prices 
and RD&D and the wider impact of energy use on CO2 emissions. Over 
the years with input from energy statisticians all around the world, the IEA 
has gained recognition as the world’s most authoritative source for energy 
statistics.  
Energy statistics are produced to be used: to monitor changes in energy 
production and use; inform debate; and provide a wider understanding of 
energy, including helping countries understand their energy transitions. In 
Key World Energy Statistics (KWES), we look to highlight some of the key 
facts and trends from across the vast number of datasets the IEA produces 
to enable everyone to know more about energy. As part of the IEA 
modernisation programme, KWES contains more information on energy 
efficiency and renewables, more geographic data – including on the “IEA 
Family”, created through our “Open Doors” policy – and more of the key 
data to better understand energy security – the heart of our work.  
Because energy plays such a vital role in our lives today, I hope that these 
statistics will not only inform but also help policy makers and others to 
make wise decisions so that energy is produced and consumed in a 
secure, affordable, efficient, and sustainable manner. As I like to say, in 
the world of energy, data always wins. This has never been more true than 
it is today, with the world economy undergoing significant structural change 
as a consequence of Covid-19. I would therefore like to thank the whole 
team in the IEA’s Energy Data Centre under the outstanding leadership of 
Nick Johnstone for their work in ensuring we all have the data needed to 
gain a comprehensive understanding of energy today so that we can better 
plan for tomorrow. 
Dr. Fatih Birol 
Executive Director, International Energy Agency 
KWES is a summary of the comprehensive data made available by the IEA via 
its website: www.iea.org/statistics/.