I NT R O D U C T I O N
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT AND THE SECRETARY GENERAL Dear Colleagues,
hand the reins to China, we are pleased
At the time of writing, the World Health
with the significant progress being
to our host the Indonesian Gas
Organisation (WHO) declared the
made towards fulfilling the strategic
Association for a memorable week in
Novel Coronavirus, COVID-19, a pan
plan set out at the start of the
this beautiful city, which has played
demic, pushing the threat beyond the
Presidency. We are grateful to have so
such an important role in IGU’s history.
global health emergency it had
many active industry experts actively
announced in January.
participating in the 11 committees and
celebrated the 2019 edition of the
three task forces of IGU, one of the key
Latin America and Caribbean Gas
strengths of IGU’s vast network.
Conference in Lima, Peru. The event
We are hopeful that everyone has followed and is following the advice from the health authorities and your
We continue to raise the Global
Our most sincere appreciation goes
In November of last year, we
brought together high-level govern
individual organisations. Beyond that,
Voice of Gas through our active
ment representatives, regulatory
the effectiveness of the societal res
engagement in the most significant
bodies, national and international gas
ponse to COVID-19 relies on individuals
global energy policy debates and fora.
companies, investors and solution
Your IGU leadership team remains
providers to uncover investment
making wise decisions and showing care for each other. We have taken the prudent decision
hard at work advocating for gas as a
opportunities in Latin America and
critical part of the world’s energy
the Caribbean’s gas sectors.
to postpone the meetings of the
portfolio. At the same time, we are
IGU also hosted two side events
Coordination Committee and Executive
working hard to ensure that the value
during the UN Climate Change
Committee, which were scheduled for
to IGU membership retains and
Conference (COP 25), held in Madrid
April 21-23 in Prague, in light of the
increases its relevance.
during the first half of December. The first event took place on December 2,
global impact of the COVID-19 out break. The health and well-being
Key developments
with the support of the Korean
of the IGU community, as well as that
Let us turn to some of the key dev
Delegation at the Korea Country
of our local host community, are
elopments that took place in the last
Pavilion, and it focused on the
the priority.
six months.
environmental, economic and societal
Despite the current serious
Last October a historic event for IGU
value of natural gas as a transport fuel.
challenges, this year promises to be
took place, during the Council meeting
The second event was on December
a very significant stepping-stone for
in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The Council
12, kindly hosted by the Presiding
the global natural gas industry and
voted to establish a permanent head
Chilean Delegation at their Pavilion.
IGU, particularly, as we prepare to host
quarters and to base it in London, UK.
We launched the fourth edition of
the next edition of the World Gas
The implementation team approved at
the Urban Air Quality report series
Conference, in Daegu, Korea, in
the Council meeting is now working
during this event, presenting one of
June 2021.
towards completing the necessary
the cases on a clean air panel, and
plans to enable the move to a
highlighted Chile’s commitment to
permanent headquarters.
air quality and GHG improvement
As we are approaching the final year of the Korea Presidency and prepare to
8 Message from the President and the Secretary General
