HELIO International is a network of independent energy analysts who identify, assess, measure and publicise the contribution of energy systems and policies to ecodevelopment (sustainable and equitable development).

Their main field of activity is energy policy analysis, the development of sets of ecodevelopment criteria and indicators, as well as the design of methodologies for the monitoring of energy projects, and in particular climate projects.

HELIO develops tools that are shared with other analysts and NGOs worldwide. HELIO's indicators are used to evaluate national energy systems and policies and to inform decision-makers about their effectiveness. HELIO's two principle indicator sets are:
--Sustainable Energy Watch (SEW): measures progress towards sustainable energy and development practices
--Vulnerability-Adaptation-Resilience (VAR): measures the vulnerability and resilience of national energy systems to climate change.

HELIO also developed CDM indicators to assess the contribution of clean development mechanism (CDM) projects to the sustainable and equitable development of host countries. These indicators helped the Designated National Authority (DNA) of several countries develop their own assessment criteria. The indicators were also the basis for the work of SouthSouthNorth and the international Gold Standard.

HELIO International produced its first Global Energy Sustainability Report in March 1997 for Rio +5, the second one was for Rio +10 in Johannesburg. In preparation for the next reports, HELIO International holds methodological workshops with other researchers and international governmental and non-governmental organisations.

In the field of climate stabilisation HELIO International was responsible for monitoring the CDM projects designed by SouthSouthNorth in Bangladesh, Brazil, Indonesia and South Africa. HELIO contributed to the elaboration of the SSS Matrix for the selection of CDM projects. See: www.southsouthnorth.org.

HELIO International is an NGO member of the Climate Action Network and accredited by the UNFCCC, UNESCO and UNEP.

Areas of expertise: Analysis of energy policies, dissemination of information on energy and ecodevelopment, advice on CDM/JI climate projects, sustainable development indicators for the energy sector and activities.

Target audience: Decision-makers in the public and private sector.