ECO15: Net energy import dependency Brief Definition The ratio of net import to total primary energy
supply (TPES) in a given year in total and by fuel
type such as oil and petroleum products, gas, coal
and electricity
Units Percentage
Alternative Definitions Net energy imports
Agenda 21 Chapter 4: Consumption and production patterns
POLICY RELEVANCE (a) Purpose: This indicator measures the extent to which a country relies on imports
to meet its energy requirements.
(b) Relevance to Sustainable Development: Maintaining a stable supply of energy is
a core objective of policy in the pursuit of sustainable development. The importance
of energy security in terms of the physical availability of supplies to satisfy demand at
a given price for economic and social sustainability is paramount. Therefore energy
supply interruptions constitute a type of systematic risk that needs to be addressed by
policies for sustainable development. Two different kinds of risk are involved: a
quantity risk and a price risk. Both risks are related to the level of a country’s reliance
on imported energy. Thus, the general exposure to energy supply disruptions can be
limited by decreasing the import dependency, which in turn could be achieved
through policies to increase indigenous energy production, enhance energy efficiency,
diversify fuel sources, optimize fuel mix, etc.
(c) International Conventions and Agreements: None.
(d) International Targets/Recommended Standards: In some countries there is a
recommended level to which a country may rely on energy import.
(e) Linkages to Other Indicators: This indicator is closely linked to some of the
economic indicators, such as indigenous energy production, energy use per capita, etc.
It is also linked to indicators of resource availability.
