About the Coal Industry Advisory Board

The Coal Industry Advisory Board (CIAB) is a group of high level executives from coal-related industrial enterprises, established by the International Energy Agency (IEA) in July 1979 to provide advice to the IEA on a wide range of issues relating to coal.

Currently, CIAB Members (normally about 45) are drawn from 19 countries accounting for over 80% of world coal production. Members also represent major electricity producers, together with other coal consuming industries and coal related organisations. Mr Steven F. Leer, President and Chief Executive Officer of Arch Coal Inc, (USA) is the current CIAB Chairman and is supported by an Executive Committee.

Members meet annually and their Associates actively progress their agreed work programme throughout the year. The CIAB is supporting the IEA in delivering its responses to the G8 Gleneagles plan of action on climate change, clean energy and sustainable development, as well as advising on the revelance of coal to world energy security.

The CIAB provides a wide range of advice to the IEA, including through its workshop proceedings, publications and papers  The most recent publication is "Clean Coal Technologies: Accelerating Commerical and Policy Drivers for Deployment" which emphasises the very significant potential of these technologies to reduce emissions from coal use and identifies an urgent need to make progress with demonstration projects and prove the potential of Carbon Capture and Storage  through government-industry partnerships.

The CIAB also summarises recent coal market and policy developments, together with its policy advice to the IEA, in an annual ”International Coal Market and Policy Developments” report.

The proceedings of recent CIAB workshops involving CIAB Members, government representatives and other relevant organisations are also available:

• “CO2 Capture and Storage - international progress & future prospects”
  (Summary of a joint workshop, 2007)
  
• “Coal-to-Liquids – an alternative oil supply?” (2006)
• "Meeting our Energy Needs - driving forward coal's role in a clean, clever and competitive energy future" (2005)

The CIAB works closely with Mr. Brian Ricketts at the IEA Secretariat and is supported by an Executive Co-ordinator, Mr. Brian Heath, who can supply further information on the CIAB.