Vision for Energy Sustainability: Our planet has resources to fulfill our need but not greed. With the recognized threat of global warming due to emission of greenhouse gases through various forms of energy use and Climate Change & Energy I would like to discuss about energy in my vision.
There are various forms of alternative energies solar, biogas, hydropower, wind, geo-thermal and tidal, but depending on the geography of the nation, these alternative forms can be used. In the context of Nepal solar, biogas and hydropower are feasible whereas using wind, tidal and geo-thermal are still out of question.
Energy services can provide cross-cutting influences on both social and economic development. Regular access to reliable energy services, electrification or the availability of clean cooking fuels could reduce poverty, improve health conditions, and increase standards of living. But on the other hand despite the availability of physical resources and adequate technologies available or could be made available to deploy these resource to meet the challenges of sustainable development; policy changes, cost differentials may favor conventional fuels for years to come. Options for using energy in ways that support sustainable development, requires addressing social, economic, and environmental concerns.
Having worked in WWF Nepal for nearly one year under Climate Change, Energy and Fresh Water Program, based on my experiences, I envision the wide use of alternative renewable energies for sustainable development, conservation of woods to increase the wilderness for wildlife sustainability and on the whole for a cleaner and greener tomorrow for the betterment of all human and life on earth.
My vision captures the potentials of achieving the following goals:
- Highlight and bring forward conservation activities and initiate income generating activities in order to alleviate poverty and enhance livelihood by installing, commissioning and facilitating proper end use of alternative energy.
- Arouse awareness to avert dangerous and irreversible climate changes and efficient use of energy with technologies that produce near-zero harmful emissions.
- Avoid damage to the environment for life sustainability with increased reliance on renewable energy sources.
With the growing size of population and industrialization in the global scenario, Nepal is still many steps behind in the latter, but due to the former reason, slowly and steadily the demand for energy is increasing, which could lead to breaching of the latter two goals if we do not act fast with options of resources and technology available. The transition is challenging as it incorporates various social, political and market frameworks, but definitely not impossible if awareness is spread and everyone does a little on his or her part.
With the recent political changes and the expectation of a stable government in the near future, a political decision–making framework is required in arousing awareness in Climate Changes and Efficient Energy use. For energy supply, many low or zero emission technologies are commercially available, but must be quickly brought to significant industrial growth and market share. Thus it is necessary to be updated and learn from the global perspective so as to what is socially acceptable, cost effective and what can be potentially developed in our national context for sustainable development, conservation of woods to increase the wilderness for wildlife sustainability and on the whole for a cleaner and greener tomorrow so that people do not favor conventional fuels.
Nepal comes under the category of the Least Developing Country. Though the comparative index shows the ratio of fossil fuel consumption is relatively low as compared to the developing and developed countries the dependence on fuel wood as a source of energy is still high in the rural areas. This activity has various negative impacts on wildlife, environment and the planet as a whole. Despite efforts in implementing alternative energy schemes which have brought about a considerable visible impact, there is still more to do and explore in renewable technologies for a cleaner and greener tomorrow so that our planet sustains life for a healthy and prosperous living in the long run.
The urban areas have easy access to electricity but the demand being more than the supply brings about options of other methods (generators) at the cost of polluting the environment and contributing to global warming. Definitely the use of solar technology in the urban areas is not limited nor have there been any initiatives for solar concentration and feeding the power to the national grid.
Thus listing out activities in Nepal that contribute to emissions are in general industries that use fossil fuels, brick kilns, vehicles and fuel wood users, to which I would like to target by seeking support on creating awareness, address all of the technologies and strategies identified and implement alternative energy schemes in order to fulfill its vision
With the fact in mind that if we do not act now there is global consensus that the world of 2030 or 2050 will not be the world of today. Definitely there are countries as major players. However, each has different circumstances, responsibilities and priorities. Moreover with the growing economies of China and India which are our neighbors, could change the way the world relates to energy.
With international boundaries and differences on one side of the coin, but the other face reflects our single planet EARTH that sustains life. With my motto and a strong support will compliance with the Global Energy Vision and will contribute to a single global picture.
Author: Rojina Haiju (our author, an environment engineer, had previously worked in WWF Nepal)