Unep Study Guide

The UNEP Green Economy report challenges the myth that there is a
trade-off between the economy and the environment.

BAN KI-MOON SECRETARY GENERAL, UNITED NATIONS
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UNEP- BACKGROUND STUDY GUIDE
CHAIRPERSONS-UNEP
SREEKAR S KUCHIBHATLA , VENKAT REDDY
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CHAIRPERSONS-UNEP
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CHAIRPERSONS-UNEP
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LETTER FROM THE CHAIRS -UNEP
Dear Delegates,
Welcome to a memorable experience of UNEP at SREENIDHI-MUN 2014.
We appreciate your passion for MUN in general and Environment in particular. We hope
that by now your research is well on its way and you have gained a fair idea about the
agenda at hand. We request you to go through this study guide and make note of the
pointer questions and research links provided. This background material and study guide
are made to provide you as a UNEP delegate, an easy and quick way to grasp the
essentials for SREENIDHI-MUN 2014. It shall be of utmost importance in ensuring a high
level of debate during committee proceedings and it shall be expected that the delegates
steer the discussion on those lines.
However, the given list of topics in this BACKGROUND STUDY GUIDE covers the
fundamentals you must know. A keen study of this STUDY GUIDE in itself would serve you
more than 80 % of your preparation, except for your respective Country specifics. While is
not exhaustive and it is not intended to be. The list is simply indicative of pressing issues
and topics of concerns which must be addressed and will give you a birds eye view of the
gist of the issue. The delegates are advised to closely study their COUNTRY SPECIFIC ISSUES
and are at liberty to bring up any other relevant point for discussion.
We understand that MUN conferences can be an overwhelming experience for first timers
and a tiring one for those who are familiar with the concept. We suggest the even the first
time MUNers to participate fully in the conference and if any doubt persists in their minds
(either substantive or related to parliamentary procedure), they do not hesitate to clarify
the same. The success of UNEP as a committee depends on each and every delegate of the
committee. What all it takes is your passion for Environment, awareness about UNEP, and
sound focus of UNEP in this conference. Apart from the general research on UNEP, you
are advised to get thoroughly acquainted with the core theme of the UNEP in this conference
i.e., the GLOBAL ENERGY CRISIS that shall be required of all the delegates in the
committee.
We would like to emphasize the importance of ensuring that the delegates are aware of
their countrys historical background and current situation in the global politics and
international relations. It is imperative that the delegates come to the conference with a
clear and decisive foreign policy as the representative of their respective countries. On a
final note we must advice all delegates to live their Roles during the MUN as the
representatives of their respective countries and thus conduct themselves with proper
decorum and diplomacy.
Look forward see you all on 12 September.
Sreekar S Kuchibhatla ,Venkat Reddy
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Dear Delegates,
committee.
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Dear Delegates,
committee.
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CONTENTS
1. History of the Committee
2. Founding Resolutions of UNEP
3. UNEP- Areas of Focus, Achievements
4. General Study of the Problem
5. Brief Overview of the Agenda
6. Ongoing Problem-Global Oil Crisis
7. Magnitude &analyses of the Crisis
8. The current status
9. Hints to Possible Solutions
10. Sustainable Energy Options
11. International Actions
12. UN System Actions
13. Conclusion
14. Questions to Consider
15. Links for Further Research
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CONTENTS
13. Conclusion
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CONTENTS
13. Conclusion
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HISTORY OF THE COMMITTEE
THE UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME
(UNEP)
I. INTRODUCTION
UNEP, established in 1972, is the voice for the environment within the United Nations system.
UNEP acts as a catalyst, advocate, educator and facilitator to promote the wise use and
sustainable development of the global environment. To accomplish this, UNEP works with a
wide range of partners, including United Nations entities, international organizations, national
governments, non-governmental organizations, the private sector and civil society. The United
Nations Charter, which defines the principles and purposes of the United Nations (UN)
Organization, does not mention environmental protection. Growing concerns
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about the
environmental impact of human behaviour in the late 1960s eventually led the UN General
Assembly (UNGA) to create the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in 1972. In
the wake of the Stockholm Conference, the first in a series
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of global summits on the
environment, UNEP was established in Nairobi (Kenya) to meet the urgent need for a
permanent institutional arrangement within the United Nations system for the protection and
improvement of the environment.
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UNEPs form and mandate were designed to oversee
environmental issues in a comprehensive and coordinated manner. UNEP thus serves as the
UNs early-warning mechanism for emerging environmental threats and as the motor for global
environmental policy, agenda and priority-setting.
UNEP work encompasses:
Assessing global, regional and national environmental conditions and trends
Developing international and national environmental instruments
Strengthening institutions for the wise management of the environment
Facilitating the transfer of knowledge and technology for sustainable development
Encouraging new partnerships and mind-sets within civil society and the private sector.
UNEPs global and cross-sectoral outlook is reflected in its organizational structure, its
activities and is personnel. Being based in Africa gives UNEP a clear advantage in
understanding the environmental issues facing the worlds developing countries.
To ensure its global effectiveness UNEP supports six regional offices, plus a growing network
of centres of excellence such as the Global Resource Information Database (GRID) centres and
the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC). UNEP also has major
offices in Geneva and Paris, where its Division of Technology, Industry and Economics is
situated.
UNEP also hosts several environmental convention secretariats including the Ozone Secretariat
and the Montreal Protocols Multilateral Fund, CITES (the Convention on International Trade
in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), the Convention on Biological Diversity, the
Convention on Migratory Species, and a growing family of chemicals-related agreements,
including the Basel Convention on the Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Wastes and the
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(UNEP)
I. INTRODUCTION
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about the
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situated.
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(UNEP)
I. INTRODUCTION
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about the
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situated.
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recently negotiated Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) (Source:
UNEP 2012).
FOUNDINGRESOLUTION OF UNEP, STRUCTURE AND REFORM
UNEP was founded by Resolution 2997 (1972)
of the UNGA, Institutional and financial
arrangements for international environmental
cooperation. Following this resolution, UNEP
was established as a Programme, based on
article 22 of the UN Charter.
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In contrast to UN
Specialized Agencies, Programmes derive their
legal personality fromthe UNGA and decisions
must be confirmed and adopted by a UNGA
resolution before taking legal effect.
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In terms
of organizational structures, UNEP broadly
follows the traditional set-up of a UN
Programme: it consists of a so-called
Governing Council (GC) and a permanent Secretariat under the leadership of an
Executive Director (ED). Its financial means mainly come from the Environment
Fund, which is replenished yearly by means of voluntary contributions by UN
members. With an accumulated budget of $85 million in 2010, UNEPs financial
base -today is the highest it has been since its creation in 1972. Furthermore, and in
addition to its own funds, UNEP is one of the implementing agencies of the Global
Environment Facility (GEF), responsible for funding projects all over the world
related to climate change, biodiversity and pollution.
Since 2000, with the establishment of the Global Ministerial Environment Forum
(GMEF), the GC meets yearly, alternating between regular sessions held in Nairobi
and special sessions organized elsewhere in the world. UNEP is a coordinator and
motor for environmental efforts rather than a decision-maker itself. Therefore it has
only limited control of the overall direction of environmental efforts at the UN. For
years, scholars and politicians have been debating a potential structural reform of
UNEP, in order to give it more clout within the UN system. Several reform packages
have been proposed, with aims such as upgrading UNEP to a Specialized Agency, but
so far these efforts have not had profound effects.
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Originally, the GC consisted of 58 member states elected from the UNGA and
worked under the principle of universal participation, meaning that all UN member
states could participate in the deliberations even if they did not sit on the GC itself.
Pursuant to decisions adopted at the 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable
Development (UNCSD Rio+20), this has now been altered: the GC has universal
membership and all UN member states are ipso facto entitled to a seat in the GC.
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UNEP 2012).
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In contrast to UN
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In terms
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UNEP 2012).
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In contrast to UN
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In terms
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UNEP-AREAS OF FOCUS , ACHIEVEMENTS OF UNEP
Since its creation in 1972, UNEP has been the main organization within UN echelons
responsible for environmental concerns and for what may be described as infusing the
UN with an environmental perspective.
UNEP is considered to be a fairly weak organization: as a Programme it is legally
dependant on the UNGA and has only limited leeway; its funding sources are
considered to be unreliable and too scarce in comparison to other UN programmes
and organizations; it is located in Nairobi (Kenya), meaning it is inconveniently far
away from other UN negotiation hot-spots; and it has struggled to compete for
political attention and money against economic organizations such as the World
Trade Organization and giant development organizations such as the United Nations
Development Programme.
Nonetheless, UNEP is active and considered hugely successful in a number of fields,
most prominently on issues related to climate change, the protection of the global
biological diversity and chemical (waste) management. As the central UN facilitator
for the environment, UNEP has successfully guided negotiation processes leading to
the establishment of a series of international treaties on the protection of the
environment. The enormous amount of Multilateral Environmental Agreements
(MEAs) in force is therefore rightly considered to be one of UNEPs major successes.
UNEP is also the leading factor in processes aimed at establishing greater coherence
and collaboration in terms of environmental governance. It is under the auspices of
UNEP, for instance, that the three major MEAs on chemicals and chemical waste
management
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are expanding their collaborations and have started organizing joint
meetings of their Conferences of the Parties.
Furthermore, in terms of communication, UNEP has developed outreach programmes
that have been resoundingly successful and have spread the idea that environmental
concerns should be taken into account at all levels of decision-making and
governance within the UN. Lastly, UNEP has been extremely successful in
empowering developing states by giving them the tools to establish national
programmes for the conservation of nature, greening their economies and, overall,
providing them with financial support of their efforts to combat environmental
degradation.
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management
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degradation.
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management
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degradation.
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GENERAL STUDY OF THE PROBLEM- THE GLOBAL ENERGY CRISIS
How do we define an energy crisis? Well it could be defined as either a large drop in the supply of
energy available or a large rise in the price of energy. More often that not it refers to a shortage of crude
oil and electricity, as well as other natural sources of non-renewable energy. Our present oil reserves
will last 40 years at most and will decline significantly well before then, so it's time to investigate new
sources of energy. Abundant and economical energy is the life blood of modern civilizations. Oil,
coal and natural gas together supplying 85 percent of the world's energy supply in 2008. Coal,
nuclear and hydro are used primarily to make electricity. Natural gas is widely used for heating.
Biomass, which usually means wood or dried dung, is used for heating and cooking. The red
sliver is wind and solar power, primarily. The red sliver may be small, but it is the future
because wind and solar power are sustainable. Oil powers almost all machines that move and
that makes oil uniquely versatile. Oil powered airplanes carry 500 people across the widest
oceans at nearly the speed of sound. Oil powered machines produce and transport food. In
North America there are many more seats in oil powered vehicles than there are people. Oil
powered machines are ubiquitous. Clearly, we live in the age of oil, but the age of oil is
drawing-to-a-close.
If oil production remains constant until it's gone, there is enough to last 42 years. Oil wells
produce less as they become depleted which will make it impossible to keep production
constant. Similarly, there is enough natural gas to last 61 years and there is enough coal to last
133 years. Nearly everyone realizes oil and gas will become scarce and expensive within the
life times of living humans. Inevitably, there will be a transition to sustainable energy sources.
Consider the implications of the following facts; The United States consumes 25 percent of the
world's oil and 70 percent of that is imported. 61 percent of the world's oil reserves are in the
Middle East. The United States has 2.4 percent.66.3 percent of the world's gas reserves are in
the Middle East and the Russian Federation. The United States has 3.4 percent. Because of our
numbers and our technology, we humans greatly influence the ecology of Earth. We humans,
qualified or not, are at the controls. Earth does not come with an operating manual. We humans
need to look to science to create one.
Although there seem to be no physical limits to the worlds energy supply for at least the
next 5 years, todays energy system is unsustainable because of equity issues as-well as
environmental, economic, and geopolitical concerns that have implications far into the fu-
ture. Aspects of the non-sustainability of the current system include: Modern fuels and
electricity are not universally accessible, an inequity that has moral, political, and practical
dimensions in a world that is becoming increasingly interconnected. The current energy
system is not sufficiently reliable or affordable to support widespread economic growth.
The productivity of one-third of the worlds people is compromised by lack of access to
commercial energy, and perhaps another third suffer economic hardship and insecurity due
to unreliable energy supplies. Negative local, regional, and global environmental impacts of
energy production and use threaten the health and well-being of current and future
generations.
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drawing-to-a-close.
generations.
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drawing-to-a-close.
generations.
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BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE AGENDA- ACHIEVING SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
Fossil energy will become rare and expensive in the not very distant future. No politicians are
warning global citizens about this problem. Yet there is near unanimity among scientists that
the problem is real. This is a world wide problem. Ways to move people and goods that do not
use fossil fuel need to be developed. New ways to grow food and heat homes will need to be
developed. Energy conservation is the key. Energy conservation will prolong the fossil energy
that now exists. The new sustainable energy sources will not be as convenient or as abundant.
Therefore energy conservation will be necessary with the sustainable energy sources in any
case.
Human-kind faces some very difficult choices. Our beautiful planet cannot support 6 billion
people without fossil fuel. At least not with an acceptable standard of living. Policies that seek
to reduce the earth's population may seem draconian, but the alternative is far worse. It is time
to start devising a transition plan. A transition plan is presented here although it is ludicrously
incomplete. The intent is to start thought and discussion.
ONGOING PROBLEM -GLOBAL OIL CRISIS
The coming era of limited and expensive energy will be very difficult for everyone on Earth but
it will be even more difficult if it is not anticipated. It is of utmost importance that the public
and especially policymakers understand the global energy crisis and the underlying science.
"Peak oil is the point in time when the maximum rate of global petroleum extraction is reached,
after which the rate of production enters terminal decline." That is Wikipedia's definition of
peak oil.
The Earth's total endowment of oil, before humans started using it, was roughly 2 trillion
barrels of recoverable oil. Consumption has been rapidly increasing and about half is used up.
Consumption is currently 31 billion barrels each year. Crunch the numbers and you will see the
oil gone in 32 years presuming the rate of consumption does not change. That is not to be
construed to mean that world oil production will be constant for 32 years and then suddenly go
to zero. There will be demand for oil, even if it is expensive. Billions of prosperous people in
China and India will guarantee that. The problem is oil production. Very little oil has been
found within the past 30 years and the prospect of finding much more is dim and it's not for
lack of looking. Obviously, oil must be found before it can be produced. Some of the world's oil
producing regions have already experienced steep declines. It happened in the US in 1971. It
happened in the North Sea in 1999. It happened in Mexico in 2006. Oil production in the
Middle East and the Russian Federation has not yet peaked, but it will eventually. Peak oil
production does not mean the oil is gone. It means all efforts to increase the oil production rate
fail.
Peak Oil occurs when the declines overwhelm the increases. A Growing Awareness of Peak
Oil: Oil geologists, oil company executives and most scientists know that an oil crisis is nearly
upon us. World peak oil production is about to happen with profound implications for everyone.
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case.
peak oil.
fail.
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case.
peak oil.
fail.
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In a few yearswithin the decadeworld oil production will declineslowly at first but then
accelerating. Politicians, economists, financiers and the general public are generally less aware
of peak oilbut that is Clearly Roscoe Bartlett, Congressman from Maryland, is aware of Peak
Oil. He gave a speech in April of 2005 entitled "Our Dependence on Foreign Oil." The speech
was also an open letter to the president signed by many prominent people including 12 retired
generals and admirals, five Secretaries of Defense, and several retired Senators and
Representatives. In his speech he ruefully admits that had he given his speech a few years
earlier, he would have been consigned to the same loony bin reserved for wackos.
This graphic appears 4 times in Bartlett's speech! He must think the concept of Peak Oil is
important. The letter also points out that "we have only 2 percent of the world's oil reserves, we
use 25 percent of all of the oil used in the world, and we import two-thirds of that. We have less
than 5 percent of the world's population." The major oil companies know about peak oil. It
must be a topic in boardroom discussions. Although oil is profitable now, they know that oil is
not the future. Oil companies actually place ads in major newspapers or magazines that seem to
say that oil is not the future.
"Energy will be one of the defining issues of this century. One thing is clear: the era of easy oil
is over. What we all do next will determine how well we meet the energy needs of the entire
world in this century and beyond. This sounds like a quote come from some wacko
environmentalists. Actually it is the first paragraph of a two page ad placed in the July 25, 2005
issue of The New Yorker. It is from David J. O'Reilly, Chairman & CEO, Chevron
Corporation, a major oil company. It exhorts people to conserve energy. Most major oil
companies are placing similar ads, but the Chevron ad is clearer than most. The oil companies
seem to know an oil crisis is imminent.
The National Geographic has an article whose full title is: "Think gas is expensive now? Just
wait. You've heard it before, but this time it's for real: We're at the beginning of the end of
Cheap Oil." http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0406/feature5/index.html .PBS (Public
Broadcasting Service) aired a series of programs entitled Extreme Oil. An online version of the
series may be found at http://www.pbs.org/wnet/extremeoil/ .
Here is a quote from the PBS site: "Fifteen years after the end of the Cold War and in the wake
of two wars in the Gulf and Iraq, all the world's easy oil has been found." The major news
magazines are publishing articles about peak oil. For example: Time Magazine published The
Real Oil Shock by Matthew Simmons and also It's the End of Oil by Kenneth
Deffeyes. U.S.News and World Report published Hostage to Oil .
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MAGNITUDE & ANALYSES OF THE GLOBAL ENERGY CRISIS
Figure 1. Per Capita Energy Consumption in 2012 (Tonnes of Oil Equivalents)
Figure 1 presents a map of the whole world that shades different regions in the amount of
their per capita usage of energy. This map shows a clear correlation between wealth and
energy consumption. Fabled in their wealth, North America and the Middle East are also
leaders in their consumption of energy, largely in the form of burning fossil fuels. Taiwans
consumption per capita is comparable to many countries in Europe. However, Taiwan does
not have the standard of living of Europe because its usage of energy is less efficient. There
are also vast regions of the world where the per capita consumption of energy is quite low.
However, the situation is changing rapidly in developing, populous nations such as China
and India. This development exacerbates the Grand Challenge of the 21
st
Century, which is
global warming and the energy crisis.
World population will likely increase to 9 billion in 2050. If the average per capita usage of
energy were one-half of the United States (11 kWin 2008), i.e., living standards comparable
to that of Taiwan today, then the required worldwide power would be 50 TW-
Figure 2. Worldwide Mix of Power Generation from 1965 to 2005
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st
Century, which is
10
st
Century, which is
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(1 TW = 10
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watt). Figure 2 shows the mix of primary resources used to generate this
power in the four decades between 1965 and 2005. At present, hydroelectric plus nuclear
accounts for about 1 TW; natural gas, coal, and oil supply the rest of the 15 TW used in
2008. Of all forms of power consumption, the steepest rising is coal, which is the
absolute worst thing to burn in terms of CO
2
emission. Burning of fossil fuels has led to
an unprecedented rate of rise of atmospheric CO
2
, as directly measured at Mauna Loa in
Hawaii. The annual variations seen in the data reflect the difference in the response of
vegetation in the Northern and Southern hemispheres to the change of months. If we
smooth over such annual variations, the part per million (ppm) by volume of CO
2
in the
Earths atmosphere has steadily increased from 315 ppm in 1960 to the present 390 ppm
in 2008.
World leaders need to take action on the energy crisis that is taking shape before our eyes. Oil
prices are soaring and it looks less and less likely that this is a bubble. The price of coal has
doubled. Countries as far apart as South Africa and Tajikistan are plagued by power cuts and
there have been riots in several nations because of disruptions to electricity. Rich states, no
longer strangers to periodic blackouts, are worried about security of energy supply. In the
developing world, 1.6 billion people around a quarter of the human race have no access to
electricity.
The fundamental changes are underway in the energy field whose significance we have not yet
fully grasped. Global demand for energy is rising fast as the population increases and
developing countries such as China and India undergo dramatic economic growth. The
International Energy Agency (IEA) says the worlds energy needs could be 50% higher in 2030
than they are today. Yet the fossil fuels on which the world still depends are finite and far from
environmentally friendly. Serious thought needs to be given now to creating viable alternatives.
The need for coordinated political action on energy and related issues climate change and
alleviating poverty, to name but two has never been more acute. Yet there is no global energy
institution in which the countries of the world can agree on joint solutions to the potentially
enormous problems we see emerging.
We have a World Health Organization, two global food agencies, the Bretton Woods financial
institutions and organizations to deal with everything from trade to civil aviation and maritime
affairs. Energy, the motor of development and economic growth, is a glaring exception.
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(1 TW = 10
12
2
2
2
in the
in 2008.
electricity.
11
(1 TW = 10
12
2
2
2
in the
in 2008.
electricity.
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Although, like food and health, it cries out for a holistic, global approach, it is actually dealt
with in a fragmented, piecemeal way. A number of institutions focus on energy, but none with a
mandate that is global and comprehensive and that encompasses all energy forms. OPEC, for
example, has just 13 members and deals exclusively with oil from the producers perspective.
The IEA represents the 27 OECD countries from the consumers viewpoint. Only 51 countries,
almost all in Eurasia, have signed the Energy Charter Treaty, whose focus is limited to issues
such as trade, transit and dispute settlement.
The UN coordinating mechanism, UN-Energy, is barely four years old. It has 20 member
agencies, an indication of how fragmented the UNs energy activities are. UN-Energy has no
budget or authority and serves as a modest forum for discussion and information sharing. So
does the world really need yet another international organization? Frankly, yes. A global energy
organization would complement, not replace, bodies already active in the energy field. It would
bring a vital inter-governmental perspective to bear on issues which cannot be left to market
forces alone, such as the development of new energy technology, the role of nuclear power and
renewables, and innovative solutions for reducing pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
CURRENT STATUS
The world's current production and use models of energy are clearly not sustainable. The most
widely used fuel sources of coal, natural gas, and oil are not only being rapidly depleted, but
the damage being done to the environment is creating serious long-term impediments to
human development. Expanding the productive capacities and usage of more sustainable
and/or renewable energy sources, including solar, wind, and biomass, will require critical
investments on the parts of both governments and private sector firms and a previously
unrealized commitment to distributing the benefits of these technologies as broadly as
possible. Within the UN System, the UNEP is the primary agency tasked with coordinating
environmental protection and policy efforts but it is abundantly evident that many other
agencies, bureaus, and programs, including the UN Development Programme (UNDP) must
be involved throughout the process.
Energy markets are vital hubs of economic activity and remain integral to any successful
development initiatives but the fuel price shocks of the late 2000s demonstrated how poorly
regulated markets combined with price speculation can imperil development initiatives
worldwide, not to mention the overall volatility of these markets. To avoid a repeat of the
most recent fuel price shock, all relevant stakeholders must coordinate their efforts to provide
safe, reliable, and affordable energy that is ultimately renewable and sustainable. As major
energy consumers, including national governments and major corporations, seek to diversify
their available energy options, there will be increasing demand, over time, for energy sources
that are ecologically friendly and that do not require the intensive drilling and mining
operations that dominate coal, natural gas, and oil extraction. Currently, however, coal,
natural gas, oil, and nuclear power comprise the dominant forms of energy that are produced
and consumed around the world; switching from this toxic mix will require critical
investments, political will, and an increased awareness of the importance of sustainable
development.
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CURRENT STATUS
development.
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CURRENT STATUS
development.
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HINTS TO POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
Developing sustainable energy sources and "green" technologies and jobs are frequently
cited as critical environmental policy priorities for governments around the world. As the
2008 oil price shocks and turmoil in international energy markets demonstrated, global
energy needs continue to dramatically impact national and international development
initiatives. When the price for a barrel of crude oil topped $147 in July 2008, world leaders,
business executives, community activists, and ordinary citizens were forced to confront the
need for sustainable energy in very stark terms. Even though oil prices are now between 25-
35% below their all-time high, the need for sustainable energy remains critical throughout
the entire world.
While there is no specific Millennium Development Goal (MDG) related to energy
production or usage, energy use directly impacts the abilities of the international community
and individual countries to achieve all of the MDGs. Examples of these clear energy linkages
to the achievement of the MDGs include: energy use for agriculture (MDG 1); lighting and
electricity for schools (MDG 2); energy use for cooking and domestic production (MDG 3);
energy used to provide critical medical services (MDGs 4, 5, & 6); the economic and
environmental impact of energy production and use (MDG 7); and public-private
partnerships for energy production (MDG 8).
In order to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015, and even more
importantly to realize truly sustainable development worldwide, the international community
and all of its relevant stakeholders must commit themselves to successfully integrating
sustainable energy initiatives. In the aftermath of the Copenhagen Accord of December 2009,
and its follow- up conferences (including COP19, held in November 2013), the UNEP and
other relevant stakeholders must exhibit considerable creativity and leadership to provide
clearer guidelines for effective sustainable energy production and consumption. Recent data
estimate that climate mitigation costs could reach four percent of the world's total gross
domestic product by 2030 if nothing is currently done.
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SUSTAINABLE ENERGY OPTIONS
Globally, experts are working hard to find out how renewable sources of energy can be used to
better fulfill our energy needs. This process is difficult and time consuming but significant
changes are already occurring. Today, when we talk about renewable energy sources we
usually mean solar energy, wind power and water (hydroelectric or watermill) power. Atomic
energy has been proved to be useful and reliable too, concerns aside. Renewable energy sources
by their very nature will never be exhausted.
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the entire world.
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the entire world.
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SOLAR ENERGY
The great thing about solar energy is that there is an unlimited supply and it is relatively easy
and straightforward to implement. It doesn't pollute the environment and produces so much
energy that the total amount of light and heat energy that hits the earth every hour is enough to
meet the entire energy needs of the planet for a whole year. At present, solar energy is under-
utilized, but the situation is starting to change for the better.
HYDRO ENERGY
Hydro-electric power is a renewable energy source that is also successful and is implemented
widely. Electrical generators convert running water into electricity through the use of turbines.
More and more dams are being constructed to generate hydroelectric power particularly in
places like China. Nearly 90% of today's renewable energy supply comes from water power.
There is one major problem with hydroelectric power which is the problem of location which is
limited for various obvious and not so obvious reasons.
Huge amounts of electricity can be generated from hydroelectric power. However, even if
geographical and physical conditions favour the building of a dam, social, human and economic
factors may not always allow it to happen.
WIND ENERGY
Wind power is the final major source of clean, renewable energy. This has been a traditional
source of renewable energy for literally thousands of years, but only recently have scientists
looked at it as a major source of clean electrical energy.
Some people oppose the idea of creating wind farms to generate electrical energy. Most of the
people who belong to this group have either a problem with the way the windmills look
(particularly as they are generally situated on the tops of hills) or have objections to the droning
noise they can produce creating excessive environmental noise pollution. They may have a
genuine point, but since we are not exactly spoilt for choice in the matter of renewable energy
sources, we have to use all the options that are available to us. The world's energy crisis will hit
us hard. It is time to act. World governments and business leaders should come together and
implement changes to the energy landscape while there is still time to repair the damage.
As the international community explores the best mix of energy options to meet the growing
demand for energy, it is imperative that countries, companies, and individuals seek to reduce
their overall energy consumption. Soaring energy demands are rapidly proving unsustainable
but the trend in energy consumption continues to move upward each year. Renewable sources
are providing greater amounts of energy every year but they still comprise a very small
percentage of total global energy use. Persistent threats to oil supplies in particular, however,
will provide an enduring impetus to switch from fossil fuels to renewable sources. From the
mid 1990s through the middle part of the 2000s, the use of wind power grew by 29%
annually on average while oil averaged a 1.7%annual growth rate, natural gas 2.5%, and coal
2.3%.
2
Highly developed countries including Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, the United
14
SOLAR ENERGY
HYDRO ENERGY
WIND ENERGY
2.3%.
2
14
SOLAR ENERGY
HYDRO ENERGY
WIND ENERGY
2.3%.
2
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1
"Climate Protection May Cost 4%of World GDP by 2030: UN," Bloomberg, January 16, 2014,
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-16/climate-protection-may-cost-4-of-world-gdp-by-
2030.html.
2
Lester R. Brown, Plan B 2.0: Rescuing a Planet Under Stress and a Civilization in Trouble, Earth Policy
Institute, NewYork: 2006 p. 187.
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Kingdom, and the United States have developed the greatest markets thus far for wind
power, in part because the giant steel turbines used to generate wind power comprise
expensive initial investments that may not always be easily affordable for developing
countries. The UK set targets of 10% of all power coming from renewable sources by 2010;
recent revisions to British law and policy added targets of 15% of energy from renewable
sources by 2015 and 20% by 2020. It is increasingly clear that wind power is a major
contributor to achieving that goal; unfortunately, though, there remain contentious debates
between the advocates of wind power and a number of opponents, including local people
who believe that the giant steel turbines destroy "picturesque" landscapes.
3
While the leading
producers are overwhelmingly highly developed countries, both China and India rank among
the 10 leading producers of wind power in the world.
4
In fact, according to the United
Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and its Renewable Energy Policy Network for the
21
st
Century (REN 21), "China surpassed the US in 2009 as the country with the greatest
investment in clean energy."
5
Wind Energy generates reliable income for farmers in many communities around the world,
particularly in regions such as the American Midwest. Lester Brown notes that "farmers,
with no investment on their part, typically receive $3000-5,000 a year in royalties from the
local utility for siting a single, large, advanced-design wind turbine, which occupies a
quarter-acre of land. This land would produce 40 bushels of corn worth $120 or, in ranch
country, beef worth perhaps $15."
6
While global food prices have risen over the past few
years, these residual incomes from allowing a utility income to install and maintain a single
turbine on a very small parcel of land still vastly outweigh the potential agricultural income
that might be realized only after considerable effort on the farmer's part.
Furthermore, wind power can be converted to electricity that can be stored in new batteries
and/or fuel cells, particularly in the case of plug-in gas-electric hybrid cars that are currently
being developed. National governments may find it in their direct interest to dramatically
scale up their existing investments in wind power as well as to develop appropriate tax
incentives and even subsidies to encourage greater private sector development in wind
power. Some technology firms, such as Google have driven this private sector development;
in January 2014, the Internet firm announced it was spending US$75 million to invest in a
wind farm in Texas, its fifteenth such renewable energy project.
7
Solar Energy has quite frequently been cited as a keystone in any long-term efforts to
generate truly renewable and sustainable energy supplies. Governments have typically taken
the lead in either building solar power generating plants or by providing loans, subsidies, and
tax credits to businesses and consumers that use the money to install solar panels. Japan and
Germany both initiated highly successful solar roof programs in the 1990s, providing critical
boosts to national manufacturers of solar panels and establishing both countries as world
leaders in solar power generation.
8
North African governments, including Algeria, Egypt,
Libya, and
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2030.html.
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3
While the leading
4
21
st
5
6
7
8
Libya, and
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2030.html.
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3
While the leading
4
21
st
5
6
7
8
Libya, and
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3
BBC News, "Where the wind farmwar is raged" March 13, 2009.
4
BBC News, "UK wind power reaches milestone" February 9, 2007.
5
UNEP Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21
st
Century (REN 21), Press Release: "Global Trends in
Green Energy 2009: NewPower Capacity fromRenewable Sources Tops Fossil Fuels Again in US, Europe"
July 15, 2010 p. 2.
6
7
"Google to invest $75min second Texas wind farm," January 15, 2014, http://www.rtcc.org/2014/01/15/google
-to- invest-75m-in-second-texas-wind-farm/.
8
Lester R. Brown, Plan B 2.0 2006 p. 195.
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Morocco, are all investing heavily in new solar power generating plants with an eye to not
only provide cheap, renewable energy for their domestic populations but to then eventually
sell the energy to countries such as the United Kingdom.
9
Critics still point to the difficulty of
storing the power generated during daylight hours to provide energy during the winter or at
night but solar cells are becoming more affordable and capable of storing more energy each
year. Providing more solar cells throughout the developing world must be a long-term priority
for governments and the international community; as Lester Brown reminds us, the "principal
obstacle to the spread of solar cell installations in villages is not the cost per se, but the lack of
small-scale credit programs to finance them. If this credit shortfall is quickly overcome,
village purchases of solar cells will soar."
10
National governments will need to play the lead role in providing these credits but
international financial institutions (IFIs), such as the World Bank, and non-governmental
organizations (NGOs) may also play critical roles in providing this needed financing. One
such IFI is the Danish pension fund, which is investing money into alternative energy
projects in developing markets alongside the Danish Investment Fund for Developing
Countries.
11
Not only can these state-backed initiatives provide a solid return on investment,
they can represent an extension of so-called "soft power," which may lead to the country's
image improving amongst the population of the countries being helped.
GEOTHERMAL AND BIOMASS ENERGY-Geothermal and biomass energy sources
represent two more critical links in the web of sustainable energy production and
consumption. Geothermal energy represents a very promising source of energy as it "is
inexhaustible and will last as long as the earth itself."
12
The leading countries in geothermal
energy production currently include the United States, Philippines, Japan, and Iceland, but
the even better news is that many countries that border the Ring of Fire in the Pacific, as well
as countries in both East Africa and the eastern Mediterranean, exhibit significant geothermal
production capacities. Geothermal energy can be used for heating, greenhouse agriculture,
and even aquaculture, or fish farming. Iceland heats over 90% of all homes using geothermal
energy, "saving over $100 million per year in avoided oil imports,"
13
and the Icelandic
government has recently stated that geothermal energy generation will be vital to its recovery
from the devastation caused by the recent global financial crisis.
14
Indonesia may well
become a major producer of geothermal energy in the near future, if the critical financing for
the planned 11 geothermal plants can be sustained. The Asian financial crisis of 1997
derailed the originally planned construction of these plants and the current financial crisis
certainly presents daunting fiscal constraints for sustainable energy projects. Creatively
financing these necessary and highly beneficial measures must be a top priority for not only
the countries that stand to realize the most immediate benefits but for the entire international
community; reduced carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as
16
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3
4
5
st
July 15, 2010 p. 2.
6
7
8
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9
10
Countries.
11
12
13
and the Icelandic
14
Indonesia may well
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3
4
5
st
July 15, 2010 p. 2.
6
7
8
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9
10
Countries.
11
12
13
and the Icelandic
14
Indonesia may well
17
well as preservation of vital habitats and irreplaceable biodiversity in Indonesia and
elsewhere benefits
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9
Maggie Ayre, "The pros and cons of solar power" BBC News February 7, 2008.
10
11
" Danish investors back climate fund for emerging economies," Bloomberg, January 13, 2014,
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-13/danish-investors-back-climate-fund-for-emerging-
economies.html
12
13
14
JimBoulden, "Can Iceland's geo-thermal power re-heat its economy?" CNN November 24, 2008.
the entire world. Biomass energy generation, also known as bio-fuels, became a subject of
intense speculation and debate during the twin plagues of the global food price crisis and the
global fuel price shocks of 2008. The plant-based fuel ethanol has become a serious source of
income for millions of farmers worldwide but subsidies for ethanol production as well as
disputes over its effectiveness, especially corn-based ethanol, present serious challenges to
rapid expansion of this potentially alternative fuel source. Bio-fuels have become increasingly
controversial as global corn prices have risen and more corn is diverted from human and
livestock consumption to be converted to ethanol. According to the UN High-Level Task
Force on the Global Food Crisis, in 2008 "developed countries spent about $11 billion USD to
support biofuel production, mostly on food crop feedstocks."
15
Countries that are enjoying
greater economic prosperity, or at least that were before the most recent financial panics
struck global stock markets, because of greater returns for biofuels have consistently resisted
any imposition of limits on biofuels productions and vehemently dispute the idea that biofuels
are responsible for any significant percentage of the recent food price increases. Brazil
particularly disputes that biofuels are responsible for rising global food prices; Brazilians
consistently note that "Brazil's sugarcane-based ethanol can yield 10.2 units of renewable
energy per unit of fossil fuel input, whereas US-backed corn ethanol yields a mere 1.4."
16
Bio-
fuels may also be added to this expanding coterie of sustainable fuel sources but it must be
done in such a manner that it does not imperil global food production, the affordability of
staple foodstuffs, especially for vulnerable populations, or increase environmental
degradation, as this would ultimately create the exact opposite of the intended effects of using
bio-fuels as sustainable energy sources.
Nuclear power remains an alternative energy option, though one that has received increased
scrutiny in light of the 2011 Thoku earthquake and tsunami that devastated eastern Japan.
The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station was heavily damaged in the tsunami and melted
down, causing a release of radioactive materials into the Pacific Ocean and into the
atmosphere. As a result of the accident, Japan decided to transition to a nuclear-free energy
grid by the 2030s, and began importing far more fossil fuels to make up for the deficit in
energy produced by the country's nuclear reactors, which were largely taken offline.
17
Germany, a country with a power grid that featured a strong portion of power generated from
nuclear energy, began a nuclear energy phase-out program (die Energiewende, or "energy
turn") to be completed by 2022 where the power generated from nuclear energy would be
replaced by solar power, gas, wind and other renewables.
18
17
elsewhere benefits
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9
10
11
economies.html
12
13
14
15
16
Bio-
17
18
17
elsewhere benefits
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9
10
11
economies.html
12
13
14
15
16
Bio-
17
18
18
INTERNATIONAL ACTION
Sustainable Energy for all was an initiative launched by the United Nations Secretary- General
that brings all key actors to the table to make sustainable energy for all a reality by 2030.
Developed countries face the combined challenge and opportunity of trans- forming existing
infrastructure, and developing countries have the opportunity to adopt cleaner, more efficient
technology fromthe start. To this end, the UN Secretary General has set three objectives for
the international community to achieve by 2030:
Ensure universal access to modern energy services
Double the rate of improvement of energy efficiency
Double the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix
like wind power, solar power, hydroelectric power, biofuels, geothermal energy, tidal power
and wave power.
These three objectives reinforce each other in many instances, and achieving the three
together will power opportunity, maximize development benefits and help stabilize climate
change. Energy is the golden thread that connects economic growth, increased social equity
and preserving the environment. The challenge in hand is to build a new sustainable energy
future, a future that harnesses the power of technology and innovation in the service of
people and the planet. The ongoing liberalization and restructuring of energy market sand
sectors offer an important window of opportunity in which to make many of the needed
changes. Growing energy demands in the developing world provide further impetus to
make changes sooner rather than later. Energy systems generally take decades to change. If
we fail to initiate changes now, it will become more difficult and more costly to
undertake themat some later date
There is a dire need for energy access initiatives to pay attention to the energy security
implications to develop energy access pathways that are resilient to energy security
challenges. Thus, the roadmap to creating climate change resilient development pathways
with sustainable energy for one and all shall come from all disciplines and fields of research
and development.
18
and wave power.
and development.
18
and wave power.
and development.
19
UN SYSTEM ACTIONS
UNEP's vital contributions to promoting sustainable energy generation are strengthened
through its vital collaborations with national governments, related UN agencies, and
nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), including the Basel Agency for Sustainable
Development (BASE). UNEP's Risoe Centre on Energy, Environment, and Sustainable
15
UN High-Level Task Force on the Global Food Crisis, "Comprehensive Framework for Action" July 2008 p.
32.
16
Marcelo Leite, "Demon Biofuel? Brazil Disputes Attacks" The InterDependent Vol. 6 No. 2 Summer 2008 p. 15
17
"Japans Fuel Costs May Rise to 7.5 Trillion Yen, Meti Estimates," Bloomberg Businessweek, October 9, 2013,
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2013-10-09/japan-s-fuel-costs-may-rise-to-7-dot-5-trillion-yen-meti-
estimates.
18
http://energytransition.de/.
Development (URC) "supports research by local institutions, coordinates projects,
disseminates information, and implements a full in-house research programme in close
collaboration with an international and multidisciplinary community of sustainable energy
and development practitioners."
19
The panoply of sustainable energy initiatives and
programs administered by UNEP and its development partners also includes the Sustainable
Energy Financing Initiative (SEFI), which is designed to "foster investment in sustainable
energy projects by providing up- to-date investor information, facilitating deal origination,
developing partnerships, and creating the momentum needed to shift sustainable energy
from the margins of energy supply to the mainstream."
20
Furthermore, UNEP is also "is
coordinating the implementation of a Global Network on Energy for Sustainable
Development (GNESD) to promote sustainable energy through coordinated programmes of
policy analysis, practical advice, targeted research and promoting investment."
21
Delegates
to UNEP would be well advised to examine the full list of organizations that collaborate
directly on sustainable energy initiatives.
22
These vital initiatives and programs are being
critically augmented throughout the UN System, particularly by the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP).
UNDP is working with many developing world countries to increase their capacity to
generate renewable energy as well as to fuel crucial sustainable development initiatives. In
Sri Lanka, UNDP has worked with local non-governmental organizations (NGOs), village
leadership councils, and the Intermediate Technology Development Group South Asia
(ITDG- South Asia) to install 12-meter tall wind turbines that generate approximately 250
watts of electricity and can provide renewable energy for the over 40% of Sri Lanka's
population that has little to no access to reliable electricity; the projected annual cost of
these household wind turbines is only $550 per year, making them affordable even in some
of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs).
23
UNDP is working closely with the government
of Pakistan, including the Ministry of Water and Power, to create a viable wind power
production capacity in Pakistan, with approximately $3 million USD of the necessary
funding being provided by the Global Environment Facility (GEF).
24
In Uganda, UNDP is
partnering with the Bufumira Islands Development Association (BIDA) and the East
African Energy Technology Development Network (EAETDN) to create a hybrid solar and
19
UN SYSTEM ACTIONS
15
32.
16
17
estimates.
18
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Delegates
22
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In Uganda, UNDP is
19
UN SYSTEM ACTIONS
15
32.
16
17
estimates.
18
19
20
21
Delegates
22
23
24
In Uganda, UNDP is
20
wind power generating station to lessen the
reliance on firewood, kerosene, and paraffin, thus reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
and creating affordable sustainable energy supplies.
25
These multi-stakeholder partnerships
are being coordinated and partially funded by the UNDP but they rely fundamentally upon the
critical knowledge base and participation of the communities that they ultimately serve,
providing an excellent model for sustainable energy generation and community development.
Much like its vital work in generating more wind power, the UNDP continues to fill a
fundamental niche for generating more solar power throughout the developing world.
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19
UNEP Division of Technology, Industry, and Economics, "The UNEP Sustainable Energy Programme" 2010.
20
UNEP Sustainable Energy Finance Initiative (SEFI), 2010. http://www.sefi.unep.org/
21
22
http://www.unep.fr/energy/about/collaborating/
23
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), "Household-size Wind Turbines, Sri Lanka" 2004
p. 1. http://sgp.undp.org/download/SGP_SriLanka1.pdf
24
UNDP-Pakistan, "Sustainable Development of Utility-Scale Wind Power Production Project (Phase I)"
2008. http://www.undp.org.pk/sustainable-development-of-utility-scale-wind-power-production-project-
phase-i.html
25
UNDP, "Demonstrating Wind and Solar Energy on Lake Victoria, Uganda" 2004 p. 2.
http://sgp.undp.org/download/SGP_Uganda.pdf
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UNDP projects in Bolivia, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, the Dominican Republic, Egypt, India,
Jordan, the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Pakistan, and Uganda are providing much
needed power for cooking and heating homes and businesses, and are reducing the need to
burn fossil fuels or destroy local forests. The World Bank is also involved in financing solar
power projects
through its Development Marketplace (DM) wing. In rural Laos, a 2005 Development
Marketplace (DM) grant of $150,000 USD helped Sunlabob Rural Energy Systems expand
their village-oriented solar power generating projects to 8 of Laos' 17 provinces, thus helping
tens of thousands of impoverished rural Laotians.
26
Establishing more solar power generating
facilities and roofs throughout the world will ultimately prove fundamental to reducing
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and to promoting sustainable development.
Sustainable energy generation is a clear prerequisite for all sustainable development
initiatives. Energy is in many ways the lifeblood of human development and is intricately
connected to all efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Using
renewable energy sources, including biomass, geothermal, solar, and wind, must be at the
forefront of national energy plans. The international community, with considerable
leadership from UNEP, must foster these initiatives through investment, technical
assistance, and effective policy guidance. In their deliberations, delegates to UNEP may also
choose to consider the impact and reliability of nuclear power but any discussion of nuclear
power generation must include serious and critical analyses of the overall safety of nuclear
power and the still unresolved issue of nuclear waste disposal.
20
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power projects
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21
Here are a few things a Global Energy Organization could do:
1. Provide authoritative assessments of global energy demand and supply and bring under one
roof key energy data that are now dispersed and incomplete.
2. Speed the transfer of appropriate energy technology to poor countries and give them
objective advice on an optimal energy mix that is safe, secure and environmentally sound.
3.Develop a global mechanism to ensure energy supplies in crises and emergencies. (The IEA
already does this for its members with oil. The International Atomic Energy Agency is
considering establishing guarantees of nuclear fuel supplies for reactors).
4. Help countries run their energy services and even do it for them temporarily after a war or
major natural disaster.
5.Coordinate and fund R&D, both upstream and downstream, especially for energy-poor
countries, whose needs too often get overlooked by commercial R&D oriented to rich countries.
Efforts in the 1970s to establish a global energy organization were unsuccessful. The world has
changed dramatically since then and the need for joint action to develop long-term solutions to
the looming energy crisis is now undeniable. It is difficult to see how this can be done without
an expert multinational body, underpinned perhaps by a global energy convention, with the
authority to develop policies and practices to benefit rich and poor countries alike, equitably
and fairly. We need to act before crisis turns into catastrophe. Even the pessimists believe we
still have at least a few decades before the oil on which the worlds prosperity is built starts to
run out. Let us use that time wisely to develop long-term solutions to the worlds energy needs
which will benefit all humankind. Climate change is a challenge interlinked with the opportunity
of providing sustainable energy for all. Fossil fuels currently account for a vast majority of the
worlds primary energy mix; this source of energy is a finite resource experiencing increasing
demand, which is not equally available throughout the global economy.
These same fossil fuels also contribute to a majority of the total annual global increase in carbon
emissions, a major driver of climate change. This duality has resulted in the global challenge of
mitigating catastrophic climate change while protecting the most vulnerable communities from
negative climate impacts and providing equitable access to energy. In this sense, ensuring
sustainable energy for all and addressing climate change are essential to achieving development,
peace and security, as well as economic market stability.
The private sector has a crucial role to play in sustainability, both in reducing negative
impacts and providing solutions, with respect to both climate and energy, while
simultaneously generating attractive financial returns. The Business sector is uniquely
positioned to address the environmental, social and developmental challenges related to
energy and climate, particularly in the following areas:
21
21
22
Increasing the energy efficiency of operations and developing products that support other
sectors in becoming more energy efficient;
Promoting renewable technologies, including through sourcing renewable energy to power
the companys own operations;
Reducing, and developing products that allow others to reduce, direct and indirect non-
energy related greenhouse gas emissions fromindustrial processes, agriculture, and waste;
Developing solutions that help all, but especially the most vulnerable, communities
and stakeholder groups adapt to climate change; and
Investing in the development and roll-out of modern energy infrastructure and
services.
CONCLUSION
Improving global access to sustainable, affordable and environmentally sound energy ser-
vices and resources is a pre-requisite for a healthy future. In the present scenario, one in three
persons in the world does not have reliable access or any access at all to electricity. Three
billion people depend on traditional biomass and coal to cook and heat their homes, resulting
in millions of deaths caused by smoke pollution every year. Fossil fuel-based energy also
contributes significantly to climate change. The consequences of this lack of modern energy
services, and of climate change, are pre-dominantly borne by the worlds poor. Providing
sustainable energy for all will improve equality, power sustainable economies preserve the
environment and reduce the risks of climate change. Achieving sustainable energy for all is
both necessary and feasible, if what needs to be done is known. Moreover, access to
sustainable energy is critical for making societies more equitable and inclusive, and for
encouraging green growth and sustainable development overall .
22
services.
CONCLUSION
22
services.
CONCLUSION
23
QUE S T I ONS T O CONS I DE R
1. After Identifying the key issues reg. Global Energy Crisis what do we want to
change?
2. Analyzing information on the Global Energy Crisis: what do we already know
about the issue and whom do we want to influence?
3. Setting objective: what are our specific advocacy objectives reg. Global Energy
Crisis?
4. Defining audiences: whomdo we want to influence and what is our call to action
to address reg. Global Energy Crisis?
5. Identifying allies: with whomcan we work for optimal impact to address Global
Energy Crisis?
6. Developing the messages and selecting the tools: how can we best reach our
audiences concerned to leverage synergies to resolve Global Energy Crisis?
7. Monitoring and evaluating: howcan we measure the impact of our efforts already
initiated with respect to reg. Global Energy Crisis?
8. Who all need to commit to address Global Energy Crisis?
9. How can we develop national capacities for climate change adaptation and
mitigation to address Global Energy Crisis?
10. What are the substitutes for fossil fuels in existing energy supply infrastructure
which do not contribute to build up of green house gases?
11. How can low income households in developing countries be made to switch from
lower efficiency to higher efficiency (but more expensive) energy devices?
12. Roadmap to achieving sustainable energy for all?
13. Responding appropriately to emerging human development, economic and
environmental challenges in the path to address to address Global Energy Crisis?
23
change?
Crisis?
Energy Crisis?
23
change?
Crisis?
Energy Crisis?
24
LINKS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH
1.http://www.microsoft.com/publicsector/ww/international-
organizations/partnerships/Pages/united-nations-environment-programme.aspx
2.http://www.unep.org/documents.multilingual/default.asp?documentid
=5
19&articleid=5688&l=en.http://www.undp.org/content/dam/aplaws/pu
blication/en/publications/environment -energy/www-ee-
library/sustainable-energy/world-energy-assessment-energy-and- the-
challenge-of-sustainability/World%20Energy%20Assessment-2000.pdf
3. http://www.undp.org/content/dam/aplaws/publication/en/publications/environment
-energy/www-ee-library/climate-change/adapting-to-climate-
change/UNDP_Adaptation_Annual_Report_2010.pdf
4. http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/convkp/conveng.pdf
5. http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/library/Environment%20and%20Energy/Cl
imate%20Strategies/UNDP-LECRDS-Guidebook-v17-web.pdF
6. http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/librarypage/results/fast_facts/ff_envir
onment_energy/
7. http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/pdf/AGECCsummaryreport[1].pdf
8. http://hdr.undp.org/en/reports/global/hdr2007-2008/papers/osbahr_henny.pdf
9. http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2011/ga11084.doc.htm
http://www.sustainableenergyforall.org/actions-commitments
11. http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/ourwork/environmentandenergy/focu
s_areas/sustainable-energy.html
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onment_energy/
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onment_energy/

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The UNEP Green Economy report challenges the myth that there is a

trade-off between the economy and the environment.

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