|
Energy is central to achieving sustainable
development goals. Some two billion people
have no access to modern energy services. The
challenge lies in finding ways to reconcile this
necessity and demand for energy with its impact
on the natural resource base in order to ensure
that sustainable development goals are
realized.
The Commission on Sustainable Development
(CSD)
fourteenth session
in 2006 and
fifteenth session
in 2007 focused on a cluster of thematic issues,
which included
Energy for Sustainable Development;
Industrial Development;
Air pollution/ Atmosphere; and
Climate Change.
The
Johannesburg Plan of Implementation (JPOI),
adopted at the World Summit on Sustainable
Development in 2002, addresses energy in the
context of sustainable development. Among other
things, the JPOI calls for action to:
-
Improve access to reliable, affordable,
economically viable, socially acceptable and
environmentally sound energy services -
para. 9(a)
-
Recognize that energy services have positive
impacts on poverty eradication and the
improvement of standards of living -
para. 9 (g)
-
Develop and disseminate alternative energy
technologies with the aim of giving a greater
share of of the energy mix to renewable energy
and, with a sense of urgency, substantially
increase the global share of renewable
energy sources -
para. 20(c)
-
Diversify energy supply by developing advanced,
cleaner, more efficient and cost-effective
energy technologies -
para 20(e)
-
Combine a range of energy technologies,
including advanced and cleaner fossil fuel
technologies, to meet the growing need for
energy services -
para. 20(d)
-
Accelerate the development, dissemination and
deployment of affordable and cleaner energy
efficiency and energy conservation technologies
-
para. 20(i)
-
Take action, where appropriate, to phase out
subsidies in this area that inhibit sustainable
development -
para. 20(p)
Energy was one of the major themes of the
ninth session
of the Commission on Sustainable Development
(CSD-9), held in 2001. Countries agreed at CSD-9
that stronger emphasis should be placed on the
development, implementation, and transfer of
cleaner, more efficient technologies and that
urgent action is required to further develop and
expand the role of alternative energy sources.
For
CSD-9 decisions
on energy click here.
This complex challenge of energy and sustainable
development was highlighted at the United
Nations Conference on Environment and
Development, held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992.
Energy is discussed throughout
Agenda 21. Agenda 21 highlights the
fact that current levels of energy consumption
and production are not sustainable, especially
if demand continues to increase and stresses the
importance of using energy resources in a way
that is consistent with the aims of protecting
human health, the atmosphere, and the natural
environment.
|
