Facing the future at IEC’s 86th General Assembly
New Zealand amongst half the world’s countries represented at the International Electrotechnical Commission 86th General Assembly in the US.
The congregation at the IEC Annual Meeting San Francisco 2022
This month Senior Advisor International Engagement Steve Lowes accompanied IEC National Committee of New Zealand (NCNZ) President and long-time National Committee member Peter Berry to the International Electrotechnical Commission 86th General Assembly in San Francisco.
Bringing together around 2,000 attendees, representing 90 countries, the event has the potential to influence world leaders in understanding the value of standardisation. It also gave an opportunity for completion of governance requirements and for technical groups to get together. The core theme of the meeting was ‘Carrying the IEC forward into the future’ to address the many uncertainties that lay ahead, whether environmental, societal, or economic. IEC President Dr Yinbiao Shu acknowledged, ’Our work is relevant all across the world, making sure that systems are safe and efficient. We connect people and economies.’ On the value of standards as tools that help find solutions, he said, ’We must offer our contribution to make our world a better place for everyone.’
Peter Berry representing New Zealand during the General Assembly
Representing New Zealand
Peter Berry and Steve Lowes represented the NCNZ, which is the New Zealand member of the IEC. Standards New Zealand provides secretariat support to the NCNZ, which acts as the gateway for IEC committee participation and adoption of IEC standards.
Standards New Zealand’s Steve Lowes says, ‘While the media’s attention might have been on high profile global conferences like COP27, there’s a massive role to play in these ‘less in the spotlight’ events that can lead to policy advice, shape regulation and conformity assessment and lead the way for new technology use. The conversations and learnings during workshops, presentations, or just around the table help us all understand the realities of global issues and identify areas for focus that relate to our own national needs.’
IEC General Assembly 2022 San Francisco
What were the main takeaways?
There was great discussion on how IEC Standards and Conformity Assessment Systems are helping to achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals; from improving access to clean and affordable energy to supporting sustainable consumption and production. Standards and conformity assessment systems support the achievement of the goals by creating a safer and more sustainable world.
The newly created IEC Global Impact Fund (GIF) was introduced, which will provide grants to help selected companies leverage IEC expertise. The first GIF project will address the topic of converting e-waste into e-resources.
Workshops during the event. Credit. Steve Lowes.
Workshops to share perspectives
Steve and Peter attended the IEC Academy and Capacity Building workshop which explored the future of learning through case studies and interactive sessions. Individual attendees representing diverse walks of life and cultures were encouraged to share personal points of view to understand differences and find commonalities. Groups discussed and attempted to problem-solve challenges around the need for stakeholder diversity and inclusion and recruitment and retention. While the challenges in different countries were very similar, the approaches varied significantly between some countries, particularly with different funding models used.
Helping to address the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs - a set of 17 ambitious goals aimed at tackling climate change, poverty and other global challenges) was a key theme with particular focus given to countering 'SDG-washing'. SDG washing, like 'greenwashing', is exaggerating or misleading an organisation's impact on meeting SDGs, likely motivated by profit gain.
Gatherings like these offer the best opportunities to network and build relationships with others in standardisation with Steve and Peter able to meet and network face-to-face with the Geneva-based, IEC Central Office staff and counterparts on the Asia Pacific Cooperation Forum (APCF – a network of National Committees, based in the Asia Pacific region). With New Zealand’s geographical isolation, interactions are mostly only via email or during webinars.
The IEC Forum workshop of National Committee Secretaries provided the opportunity to network and discuss issues, similar to those which the NCNZ faces.
Encouraging the next generation
A big part of the IEC event is the opportunity given to the 85+ young professionals, representing 60 countries, during a five-day IEC Young Professionals programme. Two New Zealand young professionals were sponsored by Electricity Engineers’ Association NZ (EEA) and MBIE to attend – Cameron Chapman and Tom Brennan. Congratulations to Cameron who was elected by his peers as one of three new Young Professional Leaders, giving New Zealand a presence on the world stage.
The Young Professionals programme supports professional leadership opportunities with groups of young people presenting on issues of diversity, energy efficiency and SDGs, emerging technologies and markets to an audience of 600+. The programme plays a key role in succession and growing future leaders who will need to embrace and lead on tackling the challenges ahead.
Steve Lowes, Young Professionals Cameron Chapman and Tom Brennan, and Peter Berry