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 20 countries accounting for over 85% of world coal production. Members also represent major electricity producers, together with other coal consuming industries and coal related organisations. Mr Roger Wicks, Special Adviser, Anglo Coal (South Africa) 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 relevance 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. In its role as adviser to the IEA the CIAB has provided a statement on “The Role of Coal in the Post 2012 Greenhouse Gas Reduction Agreement”, outlining the key elements that it believes governments must include in the new agreement if it is to successfully enable the world’s use of coal to be compatible with greenhouse gas reduction objectives.

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 annual Plenary meeting discussions and workshops are also available:

• "Coal – Challenges in Developed and Developing Economies”, “Coal’s contribution to Energy Security” and “Coal’s Role in Mitigating Climate Change”
  (Plenary meeting discussion sessions, 2008)
  
• 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.