Energy for Sustainable Development in Asia Pacific

nergy is central to sustainable development and poverty reduction efforts. It affects all aspects of development including livelihoods, access to water, agricultural productivity, health, population levels, education, and gender-related issues. None of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) can be met without major improvement in the quality and quantity of energy services in developing countries. It is estimated that approximately 1.3 billion people worldwide have no access to electricity. Furthermore, 2.7 billion people continue to rely on solid fuels such as traditional biomass and coal for cooking and heating and this is expected to rise to 2.8 billion in 2030. In recent times the two major international endorsements of the elements of sustainable development the MDGs and the World Summit on Sustainable Development, have recognized universal access to energy as an important goal. India has emerged as a leader in promoting renewable energy development and tackling global climate change. The energy sector requires a major transformation in technology, which would also involve changes in infrastructure as well as the mix of energy supply in the future. It is obvious that if India has to attain a 9 to 10 per cent growth of the economy, the management of the energy sector and its evolution in the coming future would need attention by the country’s leadership and every section of society.

Access to sustainable sources of clean, reliable and affordable energy has a profound impact on multiple aspects of human development; it relates not only to physical infrastructure (e.g. electricity grids), but also to energy affordability, reliability and commercial viability.  In practical terms, this means delivering energy services to households and businesses that are in line with consumers' ability to pay. Investing in clean, efficient, affordable and reliable energy systems is indispensable for a prosperous, environmentally sustainable future.  Ensuring energy security will require diversification of types and sources of energy, with increasing focus on consumer needs, on indigenous energy supplies, energy efficiency and regional interconnections. Greater use of clean energy obviously contributes to sustainability of the development process, and this issue will become more important in the years that lie ahead. Developing countries account for 82 per cent of the world’s population and they use 55 per cent of the available global supply of energy. They must aim at faster growth of their GDP to improve the living standards of their populations and this will entail an expanded demand for energy. If they follow the industrialized countries in meeting their energy requirements through fossil fuel based energy, the impact on the global climate would be simply unsustainable. This poses a global challenge. We can only meet the challenge by responding in two ways. First, we must contain the total growth in energy associated with the growth of GDP by improving energy efficiency. Second, we can work to shift from conventional to non-conventional or clean energy. 

ESD-2013 is an excellent platform for experience sharing across the countries. ESD-2013 will go a long way in developing a workable agenda for energy efficiency and expansion of clean energy.  Everyone involved in research is invited to participate in ESD- 2013. 

ESD-2013-e-Bro.docx