a framework for action on energy - gdrc · 2016-05-08 · nitin desai secretary-general world...

A Framework for Actionon Energy

WEHAB Working GroupAugust 2002

preface

Printed on Recycled Paper

Contents

Preface and Acknowledgments 5

Energy: Key Issues and Challenges 7

Addressing the Challenges in Energy 11

Energy: Frameworks for Action 15

AnnexesMajor Agreements on Energy and Their Objectives 27

UN System Capacities in Energy 31

preface

5

preface

The WEHAB initiative was proposed by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan as a contribution to the preparations forthe World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD). Itseeks to provide focus and impetus to action in the five keythematic areas of Water, Energy, Health, Agriculture andBiodiversity that are integral to a coherent internationalapproach to the implementation of sustainable developmentand that are among the issues contained in the Summit’sDraft Plan of Implementation.

The five thematic papers are based on initial consultationswith concerned agencies of the UN System and are notintended to be consensus documents reflecting the totality ofUN System activities in these areas. They do, however, try toprovide a broad view of existing normative and program-matic frameworks in each area, to highlight interlinkagesamong the sectors, to identify key gaps and challenges andto highlight areas where further action is needed.

The WEHAB initiative also responds to resolution 55/199of the UN General Assembly that mandated the WSSDpreparatory process and decided that the Summit shouldfocus on areas where further efforts are needed to implementAgenda 21 and that action-oriented decisions in those areasshould address new challenges and opportunities. In thatregard, the initiative takes fully into account the text of theDraft Plan of Implementation agreed at the fourth meetingof the Preparatory Committee for the WSSD in Bali, as wellas existing agreed multilateral frameworks. It includes pro-posals for a number of targeted actions in each of the sectoralareas that are anchored in various intergovernmentallyagreed multilateral frameworks on the basis of an incremen-tal approach to meeting broad targets.

The UN General Assembly, in resolution 56/226 on theWorld Summit on Sustainable Development, also encour-aged new initiatives that would contribute to the full imple-mentation of Agenda 21 and other outcomes of UNCED bystrengthening commitments at all levels, including by rein-vigorating global commitment and partnerships, bothamong governments as well as between governments andmajor groups. Partnerships have thus emerged as an impor-tant aspect of the further implementation of Agenda 21.While partnerships may involve several actors and be of abroad nature, the WEHAB initiative, drawing as it does onintergovernmental frameworks, could provide a structure forpartnerships in these five areas and in this regard couldpotentially serve as a framework for benchmarking actionand monitoring progress in the follow-up to the WSSD.

Due to constraints of time, the initial approach taken in thepreparation of the WEHAB initiative was, of necessity,

Preface and Acknowledgmentssomewhat selective and is not meant to imply any prioritiesat this stage. If member states believe that a co-ordinatedapproach to implementation in these areas is required, how-ever, the WEHAB initiative potentially provides a frame-work for the development of a coherent and co-ordinatedfollow-up by the UN System based on the intergovernmen-tally agreed outcome of WSSD. As such, it should be seen asthe beginning of a process of follow-up by the UN System.

More than 100 people contributed to the production ofthese booklets. The list is too long to name everyone here.The names that follow are of individuals who spent a greatdeal of their time in drafting, providing texts, reading mate-rial and giving overall advice. This project would have neverbeen possible without the exemplary joint team work. Thisis, in fact, an example of the outstanding capacities of theUN System and the World Bank and their capacity to pro-duce team work in record time with very good quality.

Composition of the Working Group:

Leader: Luis Gomez-Echeverri (UNDP)

Water Volume Lead Authors and Co-ordinators:Manuel Dengo (UNDESA)Alvaro Umana (UNDP)

Energy Volume Lead Authors and Co-ordinators:Jarayo Gururaja (UNDESA)Susan McDade (UNDP)Irene Freudenschuss-Reichl (UNIDO)

Health Volume Lead Authors and Co-ordinators:Yasmin von Schirnding (WHO)Vanessa Tobin (UNICEF)

Agriculture Volume Lead Authors and Co-ordinators:Volume compiled by Luis Gomez-Echeverri with inputsfrom FAO, World Bank and CGIAR

Biodiversity Volume Lead Authors and Co-ordinators:Peter Schei (recruited by UNEP as High-Level Advisor)Charles McNeill (UNDP)

The Core Team consisted of the above plus several othersfrom various agencies: Adnan Amin (UNEP), Yves Bergevin(UNICEF), Fernando Casado (UNIDO), MuhammadAslam Chaudry (UNDESA), Anilla Cherian (consultant),Boyd Haight (FAO), Nicholas Hughes (FAO), MaaikeJansen (UNEP), Kristen Lewis (consultant), Kui-Nang Mak(UNDESA), Nwanze Okidegbe (World Bank), Terri Raney(FAO) and Francisco Reifschneider (CGIAR).

Other staff members of the many agencies listed on theinside back cover provided a number of useful inputs andcontributions. Many of them, as in UNEP, FAO and WHO,spent a great deal of time reviewing and providing texts.They are too many to list but we appreciate their timely andvaluable inputs. We would like particularly to thank UNEP,UNDP, the World Bank’s Environmentally and SociallySustainable Development Network, UNDESA, UNIDOand WHO for the valuable and substantive support and forplacing a large number of the core staff and resources at ourdisposal.

The project benefited greatly from the contributions ofHigh-Level Advisors who took time to read various draftsand provide useful comments: Margaret Catley-Carlson,Hartwig de Haen, Gourisankar Ghosh, Thomas Johansson,Sir Richard Jolly, Stephen Karekezi, Roberto Lenton, PedroSanchez and M.S. Swaminathan. The project also benefitedfrom the work of the Millennium Project and its director,Professor Jeffrey Sachs, Director of the Earth Institute ofColumbia University.

For the energy volume, special thanks go to StephenKarekezi and Thomas Johansson, who acted as High-LevelAdvisors, readers and contributors. Ellen Morris, energy con-sultant to UNDP, provided valuable texts and, under thedirection of UNDP, was a valued contributor. Several otherstaff of UNDESA, UNDP and UNIDO also supported thepreparation of the volume, and to them we are grateful.UNEP, particularly Mark Radka, provided useful commentsthroughout the text.

We would also like to thank the team that produced thebooklets, especially Jane Coppock of the Yale School ofForestry & Environmental Studies, who managed the pro-duction; Dottie Scott, page layout; and Yale Reprographicsand Imaging Services (RIS), which did the design and print-ing. They put in a great deal of effort to make this projecthappen. We thank them.

Very special thanks to Linda Starke, editor of all the volumes.Her outstanding contribution and deep knowledge aboutthe issues discussed here made this project possible.

Our thanks also to Mr. Mark Malloch Brown, Administratorof UNDP, Dr. Klaus Toepfer, Executive Director of UNEP,and Mr. Ian Johnson, Vice-President, World Bank, for thesupport they have provided for this project.

Last but not least, this project would never have seen thelight of day without the unstinting efforts of Luis Gomez-Echeverri of UNDP, who came to New York to lead theWEHAB Working Group and to manage the project thatproduced these contributions to WSSD in a very short peri-od of time.

Nitin DesaiSecretary-GeneralWorld Summit on Sustainable Development

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a framework for action on energy

7

Energy services are essential for sustainable development.The way in which these services are produced, distributedand used affects the social, economic and environmentaldimensions of any development achieved. Although energyitself is not a basic human need, it is critical for the fulfilmentof all needs. Lack of access to diverse and affordable energyservices means that the basic needs of many people are notbeing met.

Energy services include things such as lighting, cooking,heating and cooling, water pumping, refrigeration,transportation and communication. All these can be pro-duced from both conventional and renewable sources ofenergy. Without access to energy services, people must spenda great deal of time and physical energy on basic subsistenceactivities rather than on earning money. In addition, lack ofenergy correlates closely with many indicators of poverty,such as poor education, inadequate health care and hardshipsimposed on women and children. At the local and nationallevels, a reliable energy supply is essential to economicstability and growth, jobs and improved living standards.

Current patterns of energy supply and consumption areclearly unsustainable. Nearly one-third of the world has noaccess to electricity, and another third has only poor access.Reliance on traditional fuels for cooking and heating canhave serious impacts on the environment and on people’shealth. Furthermore, wide disparities still exist in the levelsof energy consumption within and between countries, withthe richest people in the world using nearly 25 times as muchenergy per person as the poorest people.

Major changes in existing energy services delivery systems arerequired so that energy can become an instrument for sus-tainable development. Shifting the existing supply model toa focus on energy services will require fundamental readjust-ments of public polices to promote and adopt sustainableenergy. The growing demand in developing countries forenergy services presents a historic opportunity to satisfydemand in ways that are compatible with sustainable devel-opment. If renewable energy, energy efficiency and cleanconventional technologies are more widely used, with a focuson decentralized systems, benefits can be reaped for eco-nomic and social development as well as for environmentalprotection.

The social issues linked to energy use include poverty allevi-ation, opportunities for women, the demographic transitionand urbanization. Overall, limited access to energy servicesmarginalizes poor people and seriously limits their ability toimprove their living conditions. The poor typically spend a

greater portion of their income than the rich do on indis-pensable energy services, such as cooking. At the same time,they frequently forgo or compromise on services like lightingand space heating.

Modern energy services can be a vital entry point for improv-ing the position of women in households and societies. It ismainly women who do the cooking, so they and their chil-dren are most vulnerable to indoor air pollution from cook-ing fires. In addition, as traditional fuels become scarcer, girlsare often withdrawn from school because more time isrequired for the collection and transport of fuels. This canhave lifelong effects on literacy, family size, well-being andeconomic opportunities for women. Energy use patterns alsoinfluence population growth by affecting social and eco-nomic conditions that have an impact on family size. Thedeployment of energy for industries that generate employ-ment and income for women can help delay the age of mar-riage, which is an important determinant of fertility.

The rapid and uncontrollable growth of major urban centresis another key issue linked to energy. Although the generaltrend towards urbanization has many components, givingrural residents more options through energy interventionsand providing improved energy services to smaller townscould potentially slow urban migration and reduce pressureson large cites. Taking energy issues into consideration in landuse planning and in designing physical infrastructure, con-struction standards and transportation systems can reducesome of the growth in energy demand that accompaniesrapid urbanization and can improve the quality of the urbanenvironment.

a framework for action on health and the environment

Energy: Key Issues and Challenges

■ Some 1.7–2 billion people in the world, mostly inrural areas, have no access to electricity; a fur-ther 2 billion are severely undersupplied.

■ One-third of the world relies on traditionalfuels—wood, dung and agricultural residues—tomeet their daily heating and cooking needs.

■ The world’s billion poorest people use only 0.2tonnes of oil-equivalent energy per capita annu-ally, while the billion richest—those earning onaverage over US$20,000 a year—use nearly 25times as much.

■ World energy systems are responsible for morethan half the greenhouse gas emissions due tohuman activities; most of these emissions aredue to fossil fuel use.

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Improved social services, including health care, educationand communication, require reliable energy services. Thesecan help improve educational facilities and services, allowingboth children and adults to become literate or improve otherskills. For example, women and girls could spend less timegathering firewood, fetching water and cooking and insteadfocus on education. Access to communication services is par-ticularly important for improving life for people in ruralareas, and television and radio—the primary modes of com-munication—almost invariably require electricity.

Energy use is also strongly linked with the second pillar ofsustainable development: economic growth. Energy servicesare needed to create jobs, develop industries, enhance value-added economic activities and support income-earning activ-ities in rural areas. Fuels are essential for heat-using process-es, transportation and many industrial activities. Electricityis an essential input to modern productive activities as wellas communication and service industries.

Energy services aid economicdevelopment at the local levelby raising productivity andenabling local income genera-tion through improved agricul-tural development and non-farm employment. The avail-ability of jobs, productivityincreases or economic opportu-nities is severely limited with-out access to modern energyservices and fuels—which can catalyse the creation of micro-enterprises, livelihood activities beyond daylight hours andlocally owned businesses.

Interruptions of energy supply can cause serious financial,economic and social losses. Energy must be available at alltimes, in sufficient quantities and at affordable prices, to sup-port the goals of sustainable development. From a balance-of-payments perspective, energy imports are currently one ofthe largest sources of foreign debt for many of the poorestcountries. In addition, investments that were made in high-cost centralized conventional energy installations have con-tributed to the growth of foreign debt. In over 30 countries,energy imports exceed 10 per cent of the value of all exports;in about 20 countries, payments for oil imports exceed thosefor external debt servicing.

Attention to energy security is critical because of the unevendistribution of both fossil fuel resources and the capacity todevelop other resources. Although energy security has beenadequate for the past 20 years, and has in fact improved,there is potential for conflict, sabotage, disruption of tradeand reduction in strategic reserves. Moreover, developmentof indigenous energy resources and diversification of the

energy supply can reduce long-term dependence on import-ed oil and can lower national debts, thereby improving eco-nomic conditions and benefiting the poor.

Meeting the rapidly growing energy needs of present andfuture populations in developing countries will require largecapital investments. It is estimated that developing countriesneed to invest on the order of 2.0–2.5 per cent of their grossdomestic product over the next 20 years if they are to achieveeconomic prosperity. With appropriate pricing and regula-tory policies, investments in the energy sector would raiserevenues to cover operating costs and generate returns suffi-cient to attract large-scale private finance and investment.

Indeed, political determination to accelerate and steer theinnovation process is crucial in reshaping energy systems sothat they support sustainable development. Technologyinnovation leading to the development and adoption ofclean and affordable energy technologies is not happening

fast enough or on a largeenough scale to meet the grow-ing demand in developingcountries. Moreover, innova-tions and reductions in the costof renewable energy, energyefficiency and clean conven-tional technologies will dependheavily on policies andinvestments made by industrialcountries.

The environmental effects of energy use—the third pillar ofsustainable development—can occur at many levels, fromthe household to the global, and include such consequencesas desertification, acidification, air pollution and climatechange. (Land degradation and acidification, which havedirect linkages to the agriculture and water sectors, are dis-cussed later in this chapter.)

The combustion of fossil fuels is the largest source of health-damaging air pollutants, as well as being the major source ofgreenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions. The emission of fine par-ticulate matter—from the burning of coal, oil, diesel fuel,gasoline and wood in transportation, power generation andspace heating—can lead to respiratory problems and cancer.Indoor fires burning coal, wood or other biomass fuels arealso a significant source of particulate pollution in ruralhomes. Smoke from cookfires contains dangerous amountsof toxic substances and can also lead to respiratory problems.

At the global level, one of the most serious environmentalproblems today is the steady and long-term increase inatmospheric concentrations of GHGs, which is causingchanges in climate patterns. Although climate change is aglobal phenomenon, and although industrial countries are

The growing demand in developingcountries for energy services presents ahistoric opportunity to satisfy demandin ways that are compatible withsustainable development.

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key issues and challenges

the principal source of GHGs, the negative effects will bemost severe in developing nations and will be felt most bypoor people. Fossil fuels, a principal source of GHGs, repre-sent about 75 per cent of total energy use.

The many facets of the critical need for energy services andthe impacts of providing them are discussed in more detail inthe remainder of this chapter. Within the context of the pri-orities identified by Secretary-General Kofi Annan, there aredirect links among the five key areas where concrete resultscan and must be obtained: water and sanitation, energy,health and the environment, agriculture and biodiversity andecosystem management (WEHAB). (See Figure.) For devel-opment to be sustainable, it is preferable to concentrate ondelivering energy services that can meet the needs of people,using a variety of technologies and fuels tailored to local con-ditions, rather than simply working towards increasing fueland electricity supplies.

Energy and Water

A priority for rural and urban communities is a reliable sup-ply of water for drinking, domestic use and irrigation.Energy allows possible water pumping, boiling, disinfection,purification, storage and distribution. An added benefit ofpurifying water or pumping clean groundwater is that itreduces drudgery and the time spent collecting water, most-ly for women and children. In addition, a reliable supply ofirrigation water is important so farmers are able to plantmore than one crop during the year, which not only increas-es the amount of food produced, but also improves employ-ment opportunities.

The lack of sanitation in many rural areas of developingcountries is directly related to the difficulty of getting cleanwater. There is an energy-sanitation link because energyoften has to be used to lift ‘clean’ groundwater or to boilwater to reduce the health risk from contamination.

The acidification of water resulting from the combustion offossil fuels is a major problem in many areas of the world.The resulting changes in the chemical composition of wateraffect agriculture and ecosystems. In addition, large-scalehydropower has emerged as a public concern, given growingexperience with the performance and consequences of dams.While hydroelectricity can be an important energy source,key questions arise about what a dam will do to river flowand to rights of access to water and river resources; whetherthe dams and resulting reservoirs will uproot existing settle-ments, disrupt the culture and sources of livelihood of localcommunities or degrade environmental resources; andwhether dams are the best economic investment of publicfunds and resources.

Energy and Health

Health care services can be improved and made more con-venient by providing energy services for clinics. Most ruralhealth facilities have limited if any energy services, and thisseriously limits their ability to deliver health care services andmedicine, as well as to attract and retain health personnel.With improved access to energy services, clinics can havelights, water pumps, medical refrigeration for drugs and vac-cines, medical instruments, fans and sterilizers—all of whichare needed to help reduce child and maternal mortality andto combat diseases. Energy services also allow more effectivecommunity education about health care.

Figure: Examples of the Critical Role of Energy in WEHAB Priority Areas

Energy and Water

• potential to provide safedrinking water

• hydropower’s environmentalimpact

• acidification of water bodies

Energy and Health

• potential for improvinghealth care facilities

• traditional fuel use can harmwomen’s health

• health impacts of outdoor airpollutionEnergy Supply and Use

• basic needs of poor unmet• inequitable pattern of use• high environmental impact

Energy and Agriculture

• increased productivitythrough modern energysources

• bioenergy as replacement forfossil fuels

Energy and Biodiversity

• bioenergy production torevive degraded land

• hydropower’s impact onspecies and ecosystems

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The absence of better energy services has an acute effect onthe health of women who must carry heavy loads of fuel overincreasingly long distances. Other health hazards arise fromthe fact that women do most of the cooking, as noted earli-er. Indoor fires burning coal, wood or other biomass fuels area significant source of particulate pollution in rural homes.Smoke from cookfires contains dangerous amounts of toxicsubstances that contribute to respiratory disease, lung dis-eases, cancer and eye problems. Worldwide, close to 2 mil-lion deaths per year are attributable to indoor air pollutionfrom cooking fires.

The combustion of fossil fuels is the largest source of out-door air pollution in the form of health-damaging pollutantssuch as particulates. Fine particulate emissions from theburning of coal, oil, diesel fuel, gasoline and wood can leadto respiratory problems and cancer.

Energy and Agriculture

Energy services can improve agricultural developmentthrough water pumping, crop processing and better storageand transport to market. Increased productivity can in turnenable the use of machinery and irrigation, which reducesthe need to expand the quantity of land under cultivationand thus the pressure on ecosystems. Agricultural crop dry-ing, which requires energy inputs, has the potential to reducecrop waste, improve farm productivity and lower the use ofcoal and wood for drying. Energy inputs are needed toexpand agricultural processing opportunities to increase theeconomic potential of the sector and to generate jobs.

Efficient use of bioenergy resources, such as agriculturalresidues, can replace conventional energy and can help alle-viate the pest, waste and pollution problems of residue dis-posal. Modern biomass power technologies hold the promiseof displacing new and existing diesel generation while creat-ing economic opportunities for rural communities.

Land degradation is a substantial problem that affects 2 bil-lion hectares of land world-wide. The production of energy(fuel collection) is not a major cause of this global problem(although the impact may be large locally and regionally),but energy can play a role in stemming and reversing it. Thiscan be done through the introduction of modern biomassenergy systems (for electricity generation, for instance),which would put a sufficiently high market price on biomassto make it profitable to restore many of the potentially pro-ductive degraded lands to ‘energy farm quality’. An impor-tant environmental consideration here is the introduction offertilizers and pesticides used for growing bioenergy feed-stock and crops. Fertilizers can lead to nutrient overloading

of surface water and harm aquatic species. In addition, per-sistent toxins can poison wildlife and people, with impactsranging from cancer to immune disorders and hormone dis-ruption. Still, good management practices can reduce oreliminate the need for fertilizers and pesticides.

Energy and Biodiversity

Bioenergy feedstock production significantly influences sur-rounding ecosystems, enhancing or suppressing biodiversity.The impact can be limited by preserving especially impor-tant or vulnerable habitat types. Bioenergy feedstock canitself be a high biodiversity ecosystem if several species—plants and livestock—are used to fill ecological niches.Diversifying the crops planted can also foster diversity with-in the ecosystems that are planted.

The biodiversity impacts of large-scale hydropower develop-ment are more negative than positive, having led, in manycases, to significant and irreversible loss of species and ecosys-tems. The building of large dams has resulted in the loss offorests and wildlife habitat, the loss of species populationsand the degradation of upstream catchment areas due toinundation of the reservoir area and the loss of aquatic bio-diversity and of upstream and downstream fisheries, as wellas having numerous cumulative impacts on water quality,natural flooding and species composition when several damsare sited on the same river.

Energy and the Millennium Development Goals

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs, see insidefront cover) developed in September 2000 provide key tar-gets to address the most pressing development needs. Thereis no MDG explicitly on energy, yet energy is essential forachieving all the goals set by the world’s leaders. Mostnotably, the importance of energy in meeting the goal ofhalving poverty by 2015 was reflected in a key decision at theNinth Session of the Commission on SustainableDevelopment: “To implement the goal accepted by the inter-national community to halve the proportion of people livingon less than one dollar per day by 2015, access to affordableenergy services is a prerequisite.” This underscores the needto expand greatly the availability of energy services for thepoor.

Beyond this broad goal, the wide range of energy services,including cooking, lighting, heating, water pumping andtransport, made possible by renewable energy, energy effi-ciency and clean conventional fuels can have a major impactin facilitating sustainable livelihoods and improving healthand education—all important elements of the MDGs.

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Energy is linked with practically all aspects of developmentand, in particular, with the other four issues in the WEHABcluster of critical concern. Energy is an engine for growthand poverty reduction, and therefore it should be accordedhigh priority and reflected in policies, programmes and part-nerships at national and international levels. Current energysystems are not consistent with the goals of sustainable devel-opment, however, and a fundamental reorientation isrequired in order to make the transition to more sustainableenergy systems so that energy can become an effective toolfor sustainable development.

Making the global energy system compatible with the tenetsof sustainable development will require a large and sustainedeffort that includes awareness raising, capacity building, pol-icy changes, technology innovation and investment. Theshift towards a sustainable energy economy involves soundanalysis of the options by policymakers, good decisions andthe sharing of experience and knowledge of individuals andorganizations wrestling with the many practical challengesthat such a transition presents. These activities, and thechanges they foster, are needed in industrial as well as devel-oping countries.

Past global conferences clearly laid out the challenges to beconfronted in order to make that transition happen. At the1992 United Nations Conference on Environment andDevelopment (UNCED), an ambitious strategy for sustain-able development—Agenda 21—was launched. Though nospecific chapter in Agenda 21 deals with energy, the need fornew and more sustainable approaches in this key area isreflected in several chapters. Since UNCED, the importanceof increased attention to the role of energy in sustainabledevelopment has been affirmed at a number of UN confer-ences. Most notably, the Ninth Session of the Commissionfor Sustainable Development (CSD-9), held in April 2001,explicitly focused on energy and clearly recognized its criticalrole and its linkage with the three supporting pillars of sus-tainable development: social, economic and environmental.

The decisions reached at CSD-9 centred on options andstrategies for each of the key issues related to energy supply,distribution and use. CSD-9 provided the foundation onwhich political commitment can be laid out to establish ablueprint for how to move forward on creating energy path-ways for sustainable development that include a fundamen-tal reshaping of policies, institutional frameworks, financialinfrastructure and technical approaches. Regarding regionalco-operation, CSD-9 emphasized the importance of partner-ships at all levels to expand the access to energy services andengage the beneficiaries at all stages of dialogue, design and

delivery. Based on the outcomes of CSD-9, it is possible tolay out the major challenges and drivers for energy for sus-tainable development in the years ahead.

Accessibility

Wider access to affordable energy services is a necessary con-dition for meeting the challenge of the MillenniumDevelopment Goal of halving the proportion of people liv-ing on less than US$1 a day by 2015. Indeed, greatlyexpanded access to reliable, affordable and socially acceptableenergy services is a prerequisite to meeting most of the tar-gets outlined in the Millennium Declaration. Energy con-sumption is highly uneven between North and South and,within countries, between rich and poor people.

The greatest access challenges are currently found in ruralareas, though with the current trend towards urbanization indeveloping countries, this problem is increasingly present inlarge poor communities within and at the margins of cities.Rural development should be the overall priority in meetingthe access challenge, with a focus on increasing investments,deploying decentralized energy systems using conventionaland renewable sources, promoting local energy entrepre-neurs, establishing financial mechanisms and strengtheningpolicies and regulatory systems to expand the level of energyservices.

Providing access to energy services in rural areas is a daunt-ing challenge that is not currently receiving adequate atten-tion or allocation of resources. For developing countries, offi-cial development assistance (ODA), which is the primarysource of external funding in most countries, is declining.Public-sector investments in expanding energy services are amajor cost to domestic budgets in developing countries, andin the face of macroeconomic reform they have proved evermore difficult to provide. Moreover, given the scale of thechallenge for improving access to energy services and theamount of public assistance that is needed, it is clear thatODA and public-sector spending combined will be insuffi-cient.

Exploring ways in which ODA and domestic publicresources can be used to leverage private funds for energy anddevelopment will be critical in mobilizing resources that canbe directed at improving the access and quality of energyservices in developing countries. International co-operationand consultation will be important in improving the co-ordination of ODA, taking into account a country’s needs,priorities and strategies. In addition, new methods of pub-lic/private co-operation might be necessary to attract private


Addressing the Challenges in Energy

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capital for investments that can take place within a soundframework of policies and regulations. There is currently noglobal forum that could facilitate this kind of dialogue andensure that it is carried out in a transparent and inclusivemanner.

Energy Efficiency

Energy efficiency opportunities can be found in almost allenergy end-uses, sectors and services, and the huge potentialremains untapped. End-use energy efficiency focuses onimproving the equipment that provides the services, such asmeasures to make heating and air conditioning equipment,appliances, lighting and motorsmore efficient. Supply-sideenergy efficiency, in contrast,focuses on performance-basedimprovements resulting inmore-efficient energy genera-tion, improved industrialprocesses, cogeneration andenergy recovery systems.Measures to enhance access totechnology, capacity-building, financing, market stimulationand institutional issues will help to meet the energyefficiency challenge.

Using energy more efficiently is especially important incountries with limited levels of existing installed capacity;measures to consider include energy efficiency standards,appliance and product labelling, demand-side managementand building and construction standards. Given the integra-tion of global markets, measures to improve energy efficien-cy can be done more effectively in the context of interna-tional and regional co-operation. There is considerable scopefor North-South co-operation as well as South-Southexchange of experiences and successes. Partnerships will beimportant for improving overall economic efficiency whileproducing environmental benefits at the global and nationallevels. Through collaboration and consultation with regionalpartners, setting norms and institutional frameworks to pro-mote the integration of systems and the adoption of stan-dards will be most effective in promoting energy efficiencygains.

Renewable Energy

Renewable energy technologies hold great potential to satisfybasic needs and to support poverty alleviation andsustainable development. There is a range of commerciallyavailable, field-proven renewable energy technologies,including solar, wind, geothermal, biomass and hydropower,but they are not yet used widely in tackling the shortfall inaccess to energy services. Modernized biomass approaches

for providing fuels and electricity to meet rural energy needsare particularly promising and an area ripe for technologytransfer to developing countries. Pursuing this option willrequire unique approaches to address technology, financingand capacity development efforts to support biomassgeneration where the natural resource base is sufficient. Themodularity and decentralized nature of renewable energytechnologies make them particularly well suited for ruralenergy development and an environmentally soundalternative to grid extension.

To speed the introduction and adoption of renewable energysystems, the key issues are expanding access to the

technologies and reducing theircosts. This can be done throughsupportive policy measures,market incentives and pro-motion activities. As the Groupof Eight Renewable EnergyTask Force has recognized,expanding markets in industrialcountries will be essential forbringing costs down. Costs

cannot be reduced through activities in developing countriesalone. Moreover, developing and industrial countriestogether will need to work to expand the manufacturing,assembly and service capabilities in developing countries tobegin to make inroads in meeting the challenge of increasingaccess to energy services.

Enhanced regional and international co-operation will beimportant in identifying the appropriate entry points forsupporting the expansion of renewable energy. This will like-ly be done through a division of labour between developingand industrial countries so that the necessary skills andresources can be allocated efficiently to the problem at hand.As in the case of energy efficiency, equipment standards andintegration of systems and components will be made possi-ble through international and regional co-operation. Moreinternational research is needed to bring modern biomass-based solutions to developing countries.

While several international organizations work in the area ofrenewables, there is currently no dedicated global institutionthat is mandated in a comprehensive way to assist develop-ing countries and economies in transition with the develop-ment of various forms of renewable energy.

Advanced Fossil Fuel Technologies

Fossil fuels will continue to be the primary energy supplyoption world-wide when considered as a proportion of theglobal supply mix. The challenge is how to use them moreefficiently and how to reduce their negative environmental

Providing access to energy services inrural areas is a daunting challenge thatis not receiving adequate attention orresources.

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addressing the challenges

impacts at the local, regional and global level. The transitionto cleaner and more advanced fossil fuel technologies is rec-ognized as essential to support sustainable development. Thisis particularly important in developing countries, where therising demand for energy services and growing populationswill drive the largest demand for new installed capacity forelectricity and increased supply of clean fuels. Efforts shouldbe focused on efficiency improvements in power plants,wider access and research and development for advancedenergy systems and fuels.

In order for developing countries to move to cleaner, moreadvanced fossil fuel energy systems, collaboration and co-operation at the international and regional level are neces-sary. Given that the most rapid advances in these technolo-gies have occurred in industrialcountries, technology and infor-mation exchange will be impor-tant for speeding up the transi-tion in developing countries.This will need to be done sothat developing countries canmaintain, service and potential-ly manufacture and assemblethe equipment to enhance ener-gy self-sufficiency and security.Regional and interregional foracould be established to help facilitate the jump to newer,advanced fossil fuel technologies.

Regulatory and financing mechanisms will serve as the foun-dation to encourage the adoption of clean fossil technologies.The government sets the guidelines and norms for the regu-lations that will make this happen in a clean and sustainablemanner. For example, developing and industrial countriescan set emissions standards to drive innovation and marketstowards cleaner fossil fuels and technologies. A major incen-tive for industry leadership will be the Kyoto Protocol mech-anisms, including the Clean Development Mechanism.Through this, developing countries can actively advancetheir sustainable development objectives while reducinggreenhouse gas emissions by stimulating ‘technologyleapfrogging’ to the advanced fossil energy technologies andby generating new investments.

Several influential private-sector organizations could play animportant role in facilitating consensus-building on public-private partnerships and inter-regional co-operation in thearea of advanced fossil fuels. It would seem important, how-ever, to ensure that these organizations operate in a transpar-ent and participatory manner and that some sort of inter-governmental guidance is exercised in terms of how theyfunction.

Energy and Transport

Transport—the most energy-intensive sector—is viewed as akey challenge for sustainable development. Transport causespollution that has adverse effects on the environment at theglobal, regional and local level and that harms human health.Furthermore, limited access to transport is often cited as acontributing factor to poverty. The two major challenges forenergy and transport are the wider adoption of cleaner fuelsand modal shifts to cleaner and more efficient forms of trans-port. Energy challenges in this sector and the negative envi-ronmental effects are most acute in industrial countries, butare also a problem in developing countries. Integratedapproaches to transportation that include improved plan-ning, demand management, fuel efficiency and cleaner fuels

can help to meet the transportchallenge.

Promoting emissions standardsthrough co-operation amongthe countries of a region andwith the support of the inter-national community could beeffective in setting and enforc-ing standards that wouldimprove local and regional airquality. Because lead in gaso-

line is a major problem in developing and industrial coun-tries, a lead-free initiative that supports the transition tocleaner fuels would go a long way towards engaging interna-tional and regional partners in addressing emissions prob-lem. Other measures that could be introduced include fueland vehicle standards, inspection and maintenance pro-grammes and improved urban and rural planning.

Modal shifts away from individual cars to mass transit willhave long-term benefits for individuals and the region as awhole. Countries with little or no transportation infrastruc-ture have the chance to embark on an overall system that iscleaner and more sustainable, including improved rail, busand subway options. With economic growth, globalizationand the expected increases in world trade, the need for inter-national and regional co-operation on transport is highlight-ed. Because of the large capital investments required forinfrastructure, innovative approaches and public-privatepartnerships will be essential in making the shifts necessaryfor sustainable development.

Developing and industrial countriescan set emissions standards to driveinnovation and markets towardscleaner fossil fuels and technologies.

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The World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) isa unique opportunity for the international community toprovide inputs on specific initiatives and approaches thatwould allow the recommendations on energy for sustainabledevelopment from the Ninth Session of the Commission onSustainable Development (CSD-9) to be translated intopractice. During the preparatory process leading up to theWSSD, a number of stakeholders expressed their interests ina range of broad areas related to energy for sustainable devel-opment. This chapter is intended to facilitate the process anddiscussion on energy at the Summit and beyond by provid-ing guidance on areas where targeted actions are needed,some of which may lend themselves to new or enhancedpartnerships on energy for sustainable development.

Energy for sustainable development was discussed at theintergovernmental level for the first time at CSD-9; broadconsensus was reached on key energy challenges, and recom-mendations were made on how these challenges could bemet. The previous chapter highlighted a set of five keyissues/challenges as well as seven cross-cutting issues relatedto energy for sustainable development that are drawn fromCSD-9. The five key issues are:

• access to energy and modern energy services,

• energy efficiency,

• renewable energy,

• advanced fossil-fuel technologies and

• energy and transport.

The overarching issues that were highlighted at CSD-9included research and development, capacity building,technology transfer, information-sharing and dissemination,mobilization of financial resources, making markets workeffectively for sustainable development, and multistake-holder approaches and public participation. These so-calledcross-cutting issues can provide the basis for further action inthe implementing actions that address the five keychallenges.

At CSD-9, governments agreed that in order to make ener-gy systems more supportive of sustainable developmentobjectives, contributions from all stakeholders, as well asincreased investments, would be needed.

What are urgently needed now, in addition to policyresponses, are adequate delivery mechanisms and a renewed

commitment that will lead to improved implementation ofrelevant strategies at the national, regional and global levels.This chapter seeks to provide a road-map for action andexamples of priority activities associated with each of fivechallenges where breakthroughs are needed. Actions that arerequired with respect to each of the cross-cutting issues havebeen listed to provide guidance on how the goals of CDS-9can be turned into reality.

Frameworks for Action

Energy issues are addressed in different countries in differentways, depending on the national energy situation. Becauseenergy issues transcend boundaries, global goals and targetscan be useful to provide guidance on the priority nationalissues to address. International co-operation in energy isneeded more than ever in order to achieve the MillenniumDevelopment Goals. In addition to efforts being made bythe United Nations System, new initiatives are needed tointensify international co-operation in order to mobilizeinvestments in energy for sustainable development. As partof such efforts, concrete actions are needed to build effectivepublic-private partnerships and to strengthen capacities indeveloping countries to undertake policies and programmesthat use energy as an instrument to support sustainabledevelopment. There is also need for appropriate mechanismsto foster increased co-operation among organizations andinstitutions, both North-South and South-South.

Clearly, the scale and magnitude of tasks involved in pro-gressing towards the objective and goals of energy for sus-tainable development are so enormous that, in addition tonational efforts, international, regional and sub-regional co-operation are of critical importance. Cross-cutting issues thatwere highlighted at CSD-9 provide the entry points bywhich actions relating to specific challenges can and need tobe implemented. In other words, these cross-cutting issuesallow for a host of actors to respond to existing obstacles andimplement action related to the broad objectives of energyfor sustainable development.

To achieve tangible progress in all these areas, actions areneeded that include, for example, building capacity andfacilitating information dissemination related to energy forsustainable development; integrating national energy policieswith the economic, social and environmental goals of sus-tainable development; ensuring equitable access to energyservices, with a particular focus on energy needs of poor peo-ple; accelerating rural energy development, including electri-

Energy: Frameworks for Action

fication of rural areas through grid extension and throughdecentralized renewable energy options; directing marketforces towards environmentally optimal solutions by creatingan enabling policy environment and regulations so that mar-kets can work better; developing locally available energyresources for greater energy security through diversification;and improving access to and transfer of environmentallysound technologies.

At the regional and international levels, actions are needed interms of elements that include, for instance, strengtheningregional and international co-operation for energy securityand market stability; expanding the use of energy efficiencyand renewable energy as well as advanced fossil fuel tech-nologies; building institutional and human resources capaci-ties; mobilizing financial resources in support of national

efforts; improving access to information and decision-mak-ing on technologies and policies; and promoting the partici-patory approach by involving all relevant stakeholders.

Currently there is no international or intergovernmentalprocess to host or facilitate dialogue on priority energy issues.Concerted action at the international level to support energysystems development consistent with domestic, regional andglobal sustainable development priorities is required. Such aprocess is also needed to create a forum for dialogue amonginternational institutions, industry, government, financialinstitutions, technology developers and representatives ofcivil society. This would enable processes to monitor theprogress on energy issues that is needed to reach globallyagreed development targets.

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Access to Energy and Modern Energy Services

Action Area 1: Reduce poverty by providing access to modern energyservices in rural and peri-urban areas.

Indicative Targets Examples of Activities

Actions to Address Cross-cutting Issues

Capacity building for development plan-ners, energy officials, and local govern-ment on the role of energy in meetingpoverty reduction objectives and sectoralplanning goals (such as health, educa-tion, agriculture), focusing on concretepolicy options and financing strategies.

Support cross-sectoral dialogue betweengovernment agencies as well as energyservice providers, with objective of link-ing energy goals to poverty reduction andnational sustainable development plan-ning processes.

Document the ability to pay for energyservices among the poor, as a means ofdetermining the full scope of energy mar-kets.

To achieve the MDG of reducing theproportion of people living in extremepoverty by half, commensurate decreas-es in the number of people withoutaccess to electricity and clean cookingfuels are required. This implies target-ing 800 million to 1 billion people tobe provided with modern energy servic-es by 2015. This corresponds to half ofthe estimated number of people cur-rently living in extreme poverty.Appropriate intermediate targets toachieve this are required.

Integrating poverty reduction goals intoenergy sector planning and focusing onpolicy approaches that address needs ofrural and peri-urban poor.

Developing integrated and holistic ruralenergy strategies and programmes.

Establishing financing mechanisms andframeworks at all levels with focus onmicro finance.

Building local capacity throughinvolvement of community-basedorganizations and relevant energy serv-ice providers.

Action Area 2: Improve health and reduce environmental impacts oftraditional fuels and cooking devices.


The 400 million households that cur-rently depend on traditional fuels needaccess to modern efficient cooking fuelsand systems. This will contribute toaddressing gender inequity at thehousehold and community level.Appropriate intermediate targets arerequired to achieve this.

Developing and applying cost-effectiveenergy technologies and systems forhousehold use.

Increasing the availability of clean liq-uid and gaseous fuels for householdand community use, particularly inrural areas.

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frameworks for action

Introduce energy service financing andaffordable payment systems so that poorpeople can expand their participation inenergy markets.

Set priorities for research and develop-ment activities on technologies andapproaches that meet the needs of thepoor and that provide energy options toexpand social services, especially in ruralareas. Emphasis should be placed oninnovations relating to decentralized sys-tems using both conventional and renew-able energy in line with domesticresource availability.

Establishing relevant programmes andmechanisms to develop local capacity.

Establishing financing and micro-creditfacilities.

Strengthening community-based organ-izations.

Action Area 3: Improve access to affordable and diversified energysources in Africa.


Substantially increase access to modernenergy services from an estimated base-line situation of 10 per cent of thepopulation in rural sub-Saharan Africa.Develop appropriate institutional andregulatory frameworks.

Increasing human, financial and insti-tutional capacity for decentralized ruralenergy systems.

Promoting increased financial and insti-tutional capacity for grid extension.

Developing training activities for ener-gy service providers, energy planners,non-governmental groups and localcommunities.

Introducing incentives and innovativefinancing mechanisms at all levels topromote energy access.

Establishing linkages to productiveapplications for income generation.

Energy Efficiency Improvements

Action Area 4: Reduce poverty by providing access to modern energyservices in rural and peri-urban areas.


In order to realize the potential of end-use energy efficiency improvements,which are estimated to be in the rangeof 25–40 per cent in residential andcommercial buildings, industry, agricul-ture and transport sectors in all coun-tries, appropriate targets for every fiveyears are needed.

Integrating end-use energy efficiencynorms, legislative and regulatory con-siderations into energy sector policyand planning.

Identifying low-cost energy efficiencyimprovements for relevant sectorsthrough improved operations andmaintenance.

Building capacity and expertise relatedto use of financial incentives anddevelopment of regulatory and marketframeworks to promote end-useefficiency.


Build institutional and human resourcescapacity to formulate energy efficiencypolicies and regulation, establish stan-dards and norms, promote and imple-ment plans and programmes at national,provincial and local levels.

Promote information and knowledgeexchange mechanisms to share the latestadvances on energy-efficient technologyoptions and trends in energy-usingequipment and power generation to sup-port effective public and private-sectordecision-making.

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Action Area 5: Improve energy efficiency in all sectors using establishedpractices on standards and labelling techniques.


Substantially increase the application ofappropriate energy efficiency standardsand labelling programmes from thecurrent coverage in about 30 develop-ing countries to a much larger number.

Establishing agreed standards andlabelling criteria/procedures based onnational needs.

Encouraging use of innovative businessand financing mechanisms to promoteuse of standards and labels, includingthrough appropriate information andcommunication technologies.

Promoting transfer and exchange ofpolicy and technology experiences relat-ed to energy efficiency standards andlabelling.

Create market mechanisms throughincentives, finance and credit arrange-ments, as well as pricing reforms andbusiness models for wider use of energy-efficient devices and systems across allsectors of the economy.

Establish mechanisms to involve a widerange of stakeholders (such as consumergroups, investors, women’s organizations,industry associations, organized labourand media) in implementing energyefficiency programmes in the household,commercial, industrial and transportsectors.

Provide public funding for energy effi-ciency R&D on energy-producing andenergy-using plant and equipment andencourage R&D in industry through tar-geted incentives.

Action Area 6: Improve efficiency in power generation.


To improve the efficiency of convertingfuels to power from the current lowlevels, it is necessary to substantiallyincrease the share of modern electricitygeneration technologies, such as naturalgas-based combined cycle, in nationalsupply mixes.

Reducing energy losses in transmissionand distribution through technicalmeasures and systems managementimprovements.

Promoting the use of computerizedcontrol systems in electricity genera-tion, transmission and distribution.

Upgrading and implementing efficiencystandards for power generationindustries.

Encouraging the use of integratedresource planning techniques for powergeneration investment projects.

Renewable Energy

Action Area 7: Progressively increase contribution of renewable energymix of all countries.


Progressively increase the contributionof renewable energy in the global pri-mary energy mix from the current baseline of 2 per cent for modern renew-ables. For example, at the current rateof expansion, wind energy is expectedto increase from the existing generating

Integrating renewable energy goals andfull-cost accounting of environmentaland health benefits of renewables intonational energy sector planning andimplementation.


Give emphasis to expanding the share ofrenewable energy in industrial-countrymarkets to expand use and reduce pricesso that these technologies become moreaccessible in developing-country mar-kets, thereby making global marketswork better.

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capacity of 25,000 MW to 100,000–150,000 MW in the next decade.Targets are required to generate similartrends in other forms of renewableenergy such as biomass, solar, hydroand biofuels.

Creating a level playing field (rationalsubsidy policies, regulatory, institution-al and financial arrangements) to facili-tate adoption of relevant renewableenergy systems.

Expanding the use of renewable energyapplications through building on exist-ing experiences (such as solar home sys-tems).

Strengthening domestic business capac-ities and linkages with internationalprivate sectors.

Developing mechanisms, capacity fortechnology transfer and adaptation ofrenewable energy applications.

Building public awareness to increase ofrenewables through diverse means,including information and communica-tion technolgies.

Introduce supportive policy frameworksto expand the use of renewable energy inthe domestic supply mix through legisla-tive, regulatory, incentive and pricingmechanisms.

Greatly increase R&D on renewableenergy from both public- and private-sector funding to support innovation,with special attention to the renewableenergy applications needed for produc-tive uses to support economic develop-ment and poverty reduction.

Expand new financing mechanisms atthe global, national and regional level tosupport the increased use of renewableenergy to meet social, environmental andproductive goals.

Action Area 8: Improve access to basic health care and education forpoor people through the provision of renewable energy systems in pri-mary health care centres and schools.


At 1–2 kw per health care centre,100–200 Mw capacity is required for100,000 health care centres (vaccinerefrigerators, water pumps and otherallied health systems).

At 500 w per school, 100,000 schoolsrequire 50 Mw capacity.

(Particular focus on rural and remoteareas.)

Convening a multistakeholder consul-tation process to establish relevant base-line needs regarding renewable energysystems to be used by primary healthcare centres based on local needs andwith inputs from WHO and otherhealth care organizations.

Promoting capacity development initia-tives that facilitate local involvement,including through learning and train-ing workshops.

Encouraging civil society participationin providing resource contributions.

Provide training for education andhealth officials as well as serviceproviders on renewable energy tech-nologies and applications.

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Remove current barriers to the financingof renewable energy, including throughcapacity building in the credit sector.

Create mechanisms to provide accurateinformation on the technical, economicand social viability of renewable energytechnologies to support awareness raisingon options that do exist and can be har-nessed to address the multiple dimen-sions of sustainable development.

Action Area 9: Promote the use of renewable energy in vaccine andimmunization programmes.


To support the achievement of theMDG on reducing under-5 mortalityby two-thirds, provide all vaccine andimmunization programmes and centreswith appropriate renewable energy sys-tems (to suit local conditions). Theaverage vaccine refrigerator requires250–500 w.

Convening a multistakeholder consul-tative process to establish base linesregarding renewable energy systemsapplications that are applicable for useby vaccine and immunization pro-grammes.

Establishing partnership modalitieswith Global Alliance for Vaccine andImmunizations or other interestedgroups to engage in pilot applications.

Documenting and sharing lessonslearned from pilot applications to facili-tate broader-scale implementation.

Action Area 10: Provide the use of renewable energy to facilitate accessto safe drinking water.


To support the achievement of theMDG to reduce by half the proportionof people who do not have access tosafe drinking water, it would be neces-sary to reach 500 million people with40 litres per capita, which wouldrequire 1 million water pumps. (Onepump is expected to serve on average500 people in a community.)

Providing training for water-sectorplanners and service providers onrenewable energy options (solar, bio-mass systems, wind pumps and so on)to support water pumping for drinkingpurposes.

Convening a multistakeholder processto involve all interested actors anddevelop co-ordinated linkages betweenrenewable energy use and safe waterneeds.

Establishing relevant base-line needs andcapacity assessments addressing renew-able energy applications and safe water.

Establishing mechanisms for capacitydevelopment, information dissemina-tion and exchange on the role ofrenewable energy in water pumping.

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Advanced Fossil Fuel Technologies

Action Area 11: Increase the use of advanced fossil fuel technologies forenergy generation.


Assuming that capital stock renovationof 5–10 per cent a year can beachieved, the entire energy system canbe upgraded with advanced technologyoptions in the next 20–30 years if per-formance criteria are explicit.

Defining national capacity and needsassessments related to advanced energytechnologies.

Removing resource and policy con-straints related to introduction of orincreases in application and use ofadvanced energy technologies.

Establishing domestic performance standards for fossil-fuel-using technologies to encourage adop-tion of modern systems and equip-ment.

Supporting innovative initiatives andfinancing mechanisms to promote theuse of advanced fossil fuel technologies.

Establishing mechanisms to enabletechnology transfer and training neededto implement advanced energy tech-nologies.


Build capacity, including technical andmanagement capacity, to negotiate tech-nology transfer and to use advanced fos-sil fuel technologies, emphasizing therequired specialized technical skills andmanagement ability.

Increase the reliability and availability ofinformation on advanced energy tech-nologies to assess their suitability andapplicability in line with domestic devel-opment and resources conditions.

Address the need for expanded R&D onadvanced fossil fuel technologies, espe-cially encouraging international R&Dcollaboration as well as joint ventures,with a focus on developing countries.

Action Area 12: Promote the use of clean coal technologies (CCTs) incountries using coal.


Given current technology availabilityand trends, starting from 2005, 12 Gwper year of clean coal technologies inthe next 10 years is feasible.

Defining national needs and capacityassessments related to application anduse of clean coal technologies.

Promoting international effortsdesigned to adapt existing CCTs fordeveloping country applications.

Introducing market transformation ini-tiatives to increase commercial access ofCCTs for developing countries.

Strengthening institutions to makethem more able to apply CCTs.

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Develop strategies based on gasificationof fossil fuels and poly generation toproduce electricity, heat and new fuels tosupport changes in energy systemsglobally.

Increase public-private partnerships tomobilize financial resources to expandthe use of advanced fossil fuel technolo-gies and to establish co-operation in riskmanagement.

Establish appropriate market mechan-isms and incentive structures toaccelerate the adoption of advanced fossilfuel technologies while addressingpriority actions to remove barriers tosuch expansion.

Action Area 13: Reduce atmospheric pollution from energy generatingsystems.


Phased retrofitting of existing coal-firedpower generating plants and introduc-tion of new plants with low nitrogenoxide burners and particulate pollutioncontrols will be required in order toachieve local, regional and global envi-ronmental benefits.

Developing public awareness cam-paigns aimed at introducing pollutioncontrols on coal-fired plants.

Convening relevant public-private foraor mechanisms that will result in tech-nology transfer and delivery of controlsfor use in relevant plants.

Training technical personnel on theinstallation and use of particulate con-trol technologies.

Action Area 14: Enhance productivity through advanced fossil fueltechnologies.


Progressively increase the share of mod-ern energy technologies as a means tosupport economic productivity anddevelopment.

Expanding R&D on modern energytechnology options with lower operat-ing costs and greater environmentalbenefits.

Documenting and sharing informationon productivity gains and economicbenefits associated with new energytechnologies in heat-using industries.

Expanding the use of closed-loop pro-ductive processes in manufacturing,using waste streams as energy resources.

Promoting information-sharing mecha-nisms in industry on new energy tech-nologies.

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Energy and Transport

Action Area 15: Improve air quality and public health through theintroduction of cleaner vehicular fuels.


Phasing out of lead in gasoline, reduc-tion of sulphur and benzene in fuelsand reduction of particulates in vehicleexhaust in all countries.

Assisting in policy formulation to over-come existing technical, financing andcapacity constraints related to vehiclesand fuels.

Promoting appropriate legislativeframeworks and measures for the intro-duction of cleaner fuels and alternativevehicle use.

Establishing targets and timetables tophase out lead in gasoline.


Build capacity to develop policy and leg-islative frameworks to implement meas-ures required for modal shifts, developmass transport systems, include transportconsiderations in settlement planningand support the transition to the use ofcleaner fuels in transport.

Encourage R&D collaborations andjoint ventures in emerging transporttechnologies such as electric, electrichybrid and fuel cell vehicles.

Promote public-private partnerships tomobilize financial resources required fortransport infrastructure, sustainabletransport strategies for mega-cities andrural transport.

Action Area 16: Implement better transportation practices and systemsin mega-cities.


Implementation of sustainable trans-port in mega-cities focused on cleanerfuels, technology advancement andmodal shifts, particularly in developingcountries.

Integrating transportation issues intodevelopment plans of mega-cities.

Establishing national and local-levelcollaboration towards the adoption ofappropriate fuel efficiency standards forvehicles that can be put into place inmega-cities.

Introducing regulatory and policyreforms that will facilitate standardiza-tion of vehicular inspections, overcomeobstacles to introduction of alternativetransportation modes and encourageenergy efficiency in road transportationin mega-cities.

Developing public awareness cam-paigns in mega-cities such as car-freedays, business incentives for using alter-native transportation modes and so on.

Building and Implementing Partnerships

The international community has a vital role to play in helpingdeveloping countries achieve energy objectives for sustainabledevelopment. Clearly, various co-operative actions are neededon the part of governments, businesses, civil society, interna-tional organizations and other relevant stakeholders to addressthe challenges. Forging partnerships among all stakeholderstherefore constitutes a key component of this action agenda.This section provides a brief summary of some of the criticalelements required for building and implementing partnershipsin energy.1

The CSD, based on the preparatory process leading up to theWSSD, has envisaged that forming and promoting new andinnovative partnerships will be critical to meet the challengesarticulated in this paper. These partnership initiatives are fore-seen to be basically of a voluntary nature—agreed on throughmutual consultations among the stakeholders. The main focusof these initiatives will be to supplement and complement theWSSD-negotiated outcome and the ongoing work by govern-ments and other stakeholders in the implementation of Agenda21. As such, the partnership initiatives will give rise to a seriesof commitments and action-oriented coalitions focused ondeliverables and would contribute to translating the political

commitments into action. In response to a wish for additionalguidance on the elaboration of partnerships expressed duringthe informal meetings on partnerships in PrepCom 3, anaddendum to the Chairman’s explanatory note, entitled“Further Guidance for Partnerships/Initiatives”, has also beenprovided.2

The critical issue is how to translate the idea of partnershipbuilding from global or regional-level discussions and advoca-cy campaigns into local actions. New and innovative partner-ships will have to be formed that may involve a wide range ofstakeholders and may have many different kinds of ways forpartners to participate.

A framework is proposed here to facilitate this process withoutwhich individual partnership initiatives devised by a wide rangeof actors may result in duplication of efforts and restrictions onresource inputs by stakeholders:

Consultative process. All partnerships begin with a dialogue.This can be initiated by a lead partner or partners, by a globalconsensus or by some other catalyst. The role of a champion orlead partner in moving the partnership forward in the earlystages is critical. A broad consultative process for partnershipsmay also be necessary to assist in sharing experiences and learn-

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Improve compilation and analysis oftransport-related information and estab-lish databases to promote informationsharing, especially on successful transportmodels in line with the objectives of sus-tainable development.

Promote regional and international co-operation to minimize trans-boundaryair pollution arising from transport sys-tems

Action Area 17: Promote new technologies for transport.


Progressively increase the share of newtechnologies in transport, includingthree-wheelers or buses, throughexpanded use of new fuels, compressednatural gas vehicles, electric and electrichybrids and fuel cell vehicles.

Establishing relevant global or regionalmechanisms that can overcome existingpolicy, financing and market barriersrelated to the four main types of alter-native vehicles.

Promoting linkages with mega-cities todevelop industry incentives and pro-grammes for market introduction ofalternative transport technologies.

Building relevant infrastructure (fuellingstations) to allow for commercializationof alternative transport vehicles.

Promoting renewed engagement withautomobile manufacturers to achievecommercialization of promising newtechnologies.

Promoting programmes to develop newfuels from biomass and coal (such asethanol or DME) to increase fueloptions and support sustainable devel-opment.

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ing at all levels (local, national, regional and global), as indi-vidual initiatives will not be isolated but can be informed byand grow from broader processes and initiatives.

Definition of objectives. The next step is scoping and definitionof objectives, targets, activities and implementation and co-ordination arrangements associated with the partnership. Thisrequires consultation among different actors in order to har-monize the views and needs of all stakeholders—donors, par-ticipating institutions, technical groups and recipients.Underlying principles around which partnership objectivescould be defined are: ensuring mutuality of interests, promot-ing a shared sense of purpose, and engendering respect for allstakeholders.

Mobilization of resources. This stage in the process is crucial tothe overall success of the partnership, as it results in the provi-sion of actual (financial, institutional and human) resourceinputs. This stage often needs to be initiated in conjunctionwith the task definition work done by stakeholders.3

Implementation of partnership. All partnerships are dynamicprocesses or works in progress, and the stage at which the part-nership is actually launched or implemented provides all stake-holders with an opportunity to see partnership activities andorganizations in operation. Partners can also use this as anopportunity to examine whether additional skills and resourcesare needed to strengthen the partnership.

Tracking progress and results. At this stage, the partnership ini-tiative is already under way and all stakeholders can now reviewand evaluate existing operations and experiences. The trackingof short-, medium- and long-term results is crucial in the evo-lution and growth of a partnership and should allow for mod-ifications and further refining of tasks and activities based onresults/targets achieved.

Scaling-up of partnership initiatives. Once a partnership initia-tive has been established, appropriate steps are needed to scaleup and link with other activities in contiguous areas. Going toscale requires the adoption of partnership strategies and linkagemechanisms that can meet challenges involved in achievingagreed objectives.

All initiators of partnerships were invited to complete and sub-mit an Information Sheet related to a specific initiative to theWSSD Secretariat.4 The Secretariat has posted on its Web siteall partnership proposals received. Detailed information onthese may be obtained from the official Web site of theSummit. A number of proposals for partnerships have beendeveloped, and many more are still in the process of beingdeveloped.

Endnotes1 A listing of some selected partnerships is available in Annex K of the

World Bank document (2001) “Making Sustainable Commitments:An Environment Strategy for the World Bank,” at http://gefweb.org/Documents/Council_Documents/GEF_ C17/C.17.Inf15.Annexes.pdf.

2 The document entitled “Further Guidance” is a two-page addendumavailable at http://www.johannesburgsummit.org/html/documents/prepcom3docs/summary_partnerships_annex_050402.doc.

3 Different financing mechanisms, such as those related to regionaldevelopment banks, the World Bank and the Global EnvironmentalFacility, are potential sources of finance. In addition, an active rolefor commercial banks and investment companies is envisaged.

4 The Information Sheet is available at http://www.johannesburgsummit.org/html/sustainable_dev/partnerships2_form.doc

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Explicit global intergovernmental agreement-making onenergy is recent. Based on a mandate of the NineteenthSpecial Session of the General Assembly on the review andappraisal of the implementation of the Rio commitments in1997, the Commission on Sustainable Development devotedits Ninth Session (CSD-9) to energy, transport andatmosphere issues. The outcome of its deliberationsconstitutes the global agreement on energy and sustainabledevelopment so far. A number of other major consensusdocuments or conventions, however, contain recommen-dations or provisions relevant for the ‘energy for sustainabledevelopment’ agenda. The non-exhaustive listing hereattempts to provide the reader with a quick orientation andeasy-to-use Web references for further investigation on whathas already been agreed to by the international community.

In addition, there is the dynamic process of advancing inter-national understanding and co-operation on energy for sus-tainable development that is pushed forward by the work ofthe secretariats and governing bodies of various UN systementities. A glimpse of this dynamic process is provided in thenext chapter.

Progress on energy for sustainable development requires byits very nature a multistakeholder approach. The essentialcontributions of the private sector to the international ener-gy agenda, which are not reflected in the listings below, war-rant emphasis in this context.

The remainder of the chapter lists conferences or treaties thathad energy as the major theme and then conferences onother subjects that—because of energy’s linkages to andimpact on many aspects of development—dealt with energyin one way or another.

Conferences with Energy as a Major Theme

Conference/Agreement: Commission onSustainable Development, 9th Session

Date: April 2001

Main Focus: The objective of the CSD-9 was to promoteenergy as an engine for sustainable development. The majorthemes were energy, transport and atmosphere. The keyissues identified were: accessibility of energy; energy efficien-cy; renewable energy; advanced fossil fuel technologies;nuclear energy technologies; rural energy; energy and trans-portation; technology transfer; capacity building; mobiliza-

tion of financial resources; and international and regional co-operation. In addition, in the lead-in to CSD-9, regionalpreparatory meetings were organized, including high-levelofficial and ministerial meetings in Bali, yielding substantiveand specific recommendations for the respective regions.

http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/csd9/csd9_2001.htm

Conference/Agreement: Kyoto Protocol

Date: December 1997

Main Focus: The objective of the Kyoto Protocol is to limitemissions of certain greenhouse gases not controlled by theMontreal Protocol. Its main goals relevant to the sustainabledevelopment agenda are the enhancement of energy efficien-cy in relevant sectors of the national economy, increasing theuse of new and renewable forms of energy and the protectionand enhancement of sinks and reservoirs of greenhouse gasesnot controlled by the Montreal Protocol.

http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/convkp/kpeng.html

Conference/Agreement: World Solar Summit –UNESCO initiated

Date: September 1996

Main Focus: Promote the development and use of renew-able energy to enhance economic and social development.

http://www.unesco.org/science/wsp/background/wspinfo.htm

Conference/Agreement: UN FrameworkConvention on Climate Change

Date: May 1992

Main Focus: Stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrationsin the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerousanthropogenic interference with the climate system. Such alevel should be achieved within a time frame sufficient toallow ecosystems to adapt naturally to climate change, toensure that food production is not threatened and to enableeconomic development to proceed in a sustainable manner.

http://unfccc.int/resource/conv/index.html

part two: major agreements and their objectives

Major Agreements on Energyand Their Objectives

Conference/Agreement: United NationsConference on Environment and Development

Date: June 1992

Main Focus: The major contribution of UNCED on ener-gy and energy-related aspects, such as transport, is con-tained in Chapters 7, 9 and 14 of Agenda 21. One of itsprogramme areas is promoting sustainable developmentthrough energy development and efficiency improvementsin production and consumption. Its main objectives are toreduce adverse effects on the atmosphere from the energysector by promoting policies or programmes, as appropriate,to increase the contribution of environmentally sound andcost-effective energy systems, particularly new and renew-able ones, through less polluting and more efficient energyproduction, transmission, distribution and use.

http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/agenda21.htm http://www.un.org/documents/ga/conf151/aconf15126-1annex1.htm

Conference/Agreement: UN Conference on Newand Renewable Sources of Energy

Date: December 1981

Main Focus: Promoting the development and use of newand renewable sources of energy. The main outcome was theNairobi Programme of Action.

http://www.un.org/documents/ga/res/36/a36r193.htm

Conferences with a Reference to Energy

Conference/Agreement: Third United NationsConference on the Least Developed Countries

Date: May 2001

Main Focus: Assess the results of the Programme of Actionof LDC II at the country level; review the implementationof international support measures; and consider the formu-lation and adoption of a further Programme of Action atnational, regional and international levels. In addition,other major energy goals were to promote the developmentof renewable energies by putting in place enabling policiesand to attract domestic and foreign investments to increaseenergy infrastructure by creating transparent frameworks ofrules and regulations.

http://www.unctad.org/conference/

Conference/Agreement: Millennium Declaration


Main Focus: One of the objectives of the MillenniumDeclaration is to halve, by 2015, the proportion of theworld’s people whose income is less than US$1 a day. Inorder to do that, CSD-9 recognized that it is necessary toprovide the world’s poor with basic energy services.

http://www.un.org/millennium/summit.htm

Conference/Agreement: Special Session of theGeneral Assembly to Review and Appraise theImplementation of Agenda 21

Date: June 1997

Main Focus: Recommend to promote international andnational programmes for energy and material efficiency, andencourage the relevant bodies to adopt measures aimed atassisting developing countries in improving energy andmaterial efficiency through the promotion of their endoge-nous capacity-building and economic development withenhanced and effective international support.

This Special Session mandated that CSD-9 should focus onenergy for sustainable development.

http://www.un.org/esa/earthsummit/

Conference/Agreement: World Food Summit

Date: June 2002; November 1996

Main Focus: The 2002 Summit defined three challengesfor sustainable energy solutions: energy for cooking, gettingelectricity to the rural poor, and getting sustainable energyto the urban poor. The 1996 Summit recognized the impor-tance of energy in agricultural production, food preparationand consumption.

http://www.fao.org/wfs/homepage.htm

Conference/Agreement: United NationsConference on Human Settlements HABITAT II

Date: June 1996

Main Focus: Promote sustainable use of energy; facilitateaccess to sustainable sources of energy; promote land usepatterns that minimize transport demands, save energy andprotect open and green spaces; and provide incentives topromote the use of clean production and energy.

http://www.unhabitat.org/

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Conference/Agreement: Fourth World Conferenceon Women—The Beijing Conference Platform forAction


Main Focus: Support the development of women's equalaccess to affordable energy technologies, such as wind, solar,biomass and other renewable sources, through participatoryneeds assessments, energy planning and policy formulationat the local and national levels; ensure that women's priori-ties are considered in energy conservation and transport.

http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/instree/bejingmnu.htm

Conference/Agreement: World Summit on SocialDevelopment

Date: March 1995

Main Focus: Improve the availability and accessibility ofenergy services at the local or community level, and encour-age the use of renewable energy, based on local employment-intensive resources, in particular in rural areas.

http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/wssd/

Conference/Agreement: United NationsInternational Conference on Population andDevelopment


Main Focus: Encourage governments to promote the devel-opment and implementation of effective environmentalmanagement strategies for urban agglomerations, giving spe-cial attention to environmentally sound energy and transportsystems.

gopher://gopher.undp.org/11/ungophers/popin/icpd/conference

Conference/Agreement: United NationsConvention to Combat Desertification inCountries Experiencing Serious Droughtand/or Desertification

Date: June 1994

Main Focus: Promote national action programmes thatinclude development and efficient use of various energysources, and provide appropriate training and technology inthe use of alternative energy sources, especially renewableenergy resources, aimed particularly at reducing dependenceon wood for fuel.

http://www.unccd.int/convention/text/convention.php

Conference/Agreement: The Global Conferenceon Sustainable Development of Small IslandDeveloping States

Date: May 1994

Main Focus: The conference focused on the promotion ofthe development and use of renewable sources of energy andthe dissemination of sound and efficient energy technologies.These aspects were considered key for mitigating the adverseimpacts of climate change; for improving catchment, pro-duction, conservation and delivery of freshwater, water treat-ment systems and desalination; and for mitigating heavydependence on imported petroleum fuels and biomass.

http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/sidstbc.htm

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annex: major agreements and their objectives

31

This chapter provides an overview of the UN System’sinvolvement in energy for sustainable development issuesand demonstrates the many perspectives taken by UN agen-cies in line with their respective core mandates. Given themultidimensional character of the ‘energy for sustainabledevelopment’ challenge, through this multi-agency work theUN System offers the potential for a holistic, multidiscipli-nary approach—with each agency bringing to the commoneffort its particular sectoral entry point and specialized set ofknowledge, expertise and skills.

Under the integrating vision of the Millennium Declarationand through a series of co-ordination instruments—from theChief Executives’ Board and its subsidiary structures tonational programming frameworks, such as CommonCountry Assessment and UN Development AssistanceFrameworks—the UN ensures that the whole of its energy-related work is greater than the sum of its parts. Continuousprogress on integration is envisaged in the Bali Plan ofImplementation, which calls for “promoting cooperationbetween international and regional institutions and bodiesdealing with different aspects of energy for sustainable devel-opment within their existing mandate, bearing in mind para-graph 46 (h) of Rio+5; strengthening, as appropriate, region-al and national activities for the promotion of education andcapacity building regarding energy for sustainable develop-ment”. The current work-in-progress on the interrelatednessof the WEHAB issues, which is intended to continue beyondJohannesburg, would be an avenue for further advancing co-operation within the UN family and with all relevant stake-holders.

This is an indicative list of the UN entities most active in thefield of energy, their main focus areas and some of their keyinitiatives. Its purpose is to give WSSD participants anoverview of the work of the UN family as a whole. It is nota comprehensive or authoritative listing of all UN systemactivities in energy. The information was gathered primarilyfrom the Web sites of the organizations featured. Any omis-sions or errors were inadvertent and are sincerely regretted.

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) http://www.fao.org/WAICENT/FAOINFO/SUSTDEV/EGdirect/default.htm

FAO assists countries in meeting their energy requirementsin agriculture, forestry and fisheries, emphasizing the need totransition from biomass fuels and animal and human powerto a more diversified resource base that includes renewableenergies and a more modern use of biomass. FAO assistscountries in strengthening their institutional and human

capacities to implement rural energy programmes and inimplementing bioenergy programmes within the frameworkof the Kyoto Protocol.

FAO implements field projects aimed at increasing the sup-ply of biofuel; reducing woodfuel consumption and increas-ing energy efficiency; promoting renewable energy applica-tions; improving market and trade mechanisms; fosteringgender equality; addressing health problems; and promotingbioenergy for combined heat and power.

Global Environment Facility (GEF) http://www.gefweb.org/Projects/focal_areas/focal_areas.html

GEF is the leading funder of clean energy projects in devel-oping countries. Since its creation as a pilot programme in1991 as a partnership between UNDP, UNEP and theWorld Bank, it has provided more than US$1 billion, pri-marily as grants, for more than 100 projects in over 50 coun-tries. These projects have a total value in excess of US$6 bil-lion, reflecting the leveraging of additional resources.

As the financial mechanism of the UN FrameworkConvention on Climate Change, GEF funding for cleanenergy projects is based on policies and programme prioritiesdefined by the Convention. Projects are developed andimplemented by the World Bank, UNDP, UNEP, and thefour regional development banks with the following objec-tives:

• removing barriers to the adoption of cost-effective energyconservation and renewable energy technologies,

• reducing the long-term costs of low greenhouse gas-emit-ting energy technologies and

• promoting use of less energy-intensive forms of trans-portation.

GEF projects effectively link the global interest in reducinggreenhouse gas emissions with local interest in economicdevelopment, job creation and reduced air and waterpollution.

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)http://www.iaea.org/worldatom/

IAEA assists its member states in building capabilities foranalyzing energy-economic-environmental interactions;serves as a global focal point for nuclear co-operation; helpsmember states apply nuclear safety standards; and verifiesthrough its inspection system that states comply with their


UN System Capacities in Energy

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commitments to use nuclear material and facilities only forpeaceful purposes. More specifically, the IAEA assists mem-ber states in:

• building capacity by developing energy-related analyticalmodels and training local experts in their use;

• maintaining databases for energy/environment analysisand distributing technology-related, safety and environ-mental information;

• establishing safety standards for nuclear power plants andfor the protection of human health;

• facilitating technology and knowledge transfer;

• providing basic analysis of energy-related internationaltrends and issues; and

• developing indicators for sustainable energy.

United Nations Department of Economic andSocial Affairs (UN/DESA)http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/enr.htm

Energy activities undertaken by DESA are guided by thedecisions of the Committee on Energy and NaturalResources for Development, the Commission on SustainableDevelopment, ECOSOC, and the General Assembly onenergy, environment and sustainable development. Activitiesare aimed at promoting the development and use of new andrenewable sources of energy, efficiency of energy use, sus-tainable development in the transport sector and energyexploration and development in developing countries.

DESA provides technical support and consultancy services todevelop national capacity for energy project evaluation andanalysis of energy technologies. It also co-ordinates energyactivities in the UN system with a view towards working forsustainable development goals within a common framework,eliminating duplication and overlap of work and supportingintergovernmental processes.

Recent analytical work in support of intergovernmentalnegotiations on energy by DESA has produced a compre-hensive and balanced Secretariat report analyzing energyissues and options and suggestions for strategies and actionsneeded at national, regional and international levels; a guideto partnership mechanisms with energy goals, targets andmilestones for the WSSD process; and, in collaboration withUNDP, the World Energy Assessment, an independentanalysis of the world energy situation by a broad group ofenergy experts from academia, the research community, gov-ernments, industry and NGOs.

DESA’s activities include:

• monitoring and analyzing global energy trends and newenergy technologies;

• providing technical assistance, training, seminars, work-shops, and study tours on energy exploration, renewablesources of energy, the environment-energy-transportinterface, rationalizing energy end use, demand-sidemanagement, energy development, uses of hydroresources and environmental protection in energy pro-duction and use;

• undertaking studies aimed at increased understanding ofthe environmental and socio-economic impacts of policyoptions;

• demonstrating through some 20 pilot projects and advi-sory services the feasibility of new and renewable sourcesof energy in rural areas;

• mobilizing resources; and

• co-ordinating energy activities within the United NationsSystem.

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) http://www.undp.org/seed/eap/index.html

UNDP is the UN’s development agency. It works withnational counterparts on solutions to achieve the overarchinggoal of cutting poverty in half by 2015, one of theMillennium Development Goals. Access to energy services isessential to reducing poverty.

UNDP is present in 166 countries, helping to find solutionsto this challenge and to attract and use aid effectively. Itsenergy activities world-wide help countries strengthen theircapacity to achieve sustainable development, seeking out andsharing best practices, providing innovative policy advice andlinking partners through pilot projects that help poor peoplebuild sustainable livelihoods. At the country level, UNDPsupports activities that can achieve the multiple social, eco-nomic and environmental benefits of sustainable develop-ment. Activities focus on:

• strengthening national policy frameworks to supportenergy for poverty reduction and sustainable develop-ment;

• promoting rural energy services to support growth andequity;

• promoting clean energy technology for sustainabledevelopment; and

• increasing access to investment financing for sustainableenergy.

UNDP is uniquely placed to build on its in-country presenceand to provide integrated solutions to address complexpoverty and equity issues related to the provision and use ofenergy services. The Common Country Assessments and theCountry Cooperation Frameworks developed for each pro-

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annex: un system capacities

gramme country offer a single window for identifying inte-grated solutions to energy and development bottlenecks. Incombination with its role as co-ordinator for the UN system,UNDP is able to identify strategic entry points to enhancepolicy frameworks by building capacity, assisting with grantsand, on a technical basis, initiating demonstration projects.

UNDP has a well-defined presence in sustainable energyissues in developing countries and countries with economiesin transition due to its role as a GEF Implementing Agency,as well as through its Thematic Trust Fund on Energy forSustainable Development and its ability to co-ordinate fund-ing for projects. UNDP is also the Implementing Agency forthe GEF-funded Small Grants Programme, which providesgrants of up to US$50,000 for community-based climatechange and related land degradation projects.

About 70 per cent of UNDP’s country offices report work-ing on sustainable energy, with the major areas of focus beingenergy efficiency, renewable energy and energy planning.From 1996 to 2000, UNDP was involved with more than200 GEF and non-GEF energy projects, not including theGEF Small Grants Programme projects. Over the same peri-od, co-funding (63 per cent) and the GEF (32 per cent) pro-vided the principal sources of funding for the US$663 mil-lion UNDP energy portfolio.

UNDP also works at the global level, providing advocacyand analysis for the development of energy-related policiesthat will ensure sustainable development and stress the cen-tral and critical role of energy in supporting the social andeconomic aspects of sustainable development in addition tothe environmental aspects.

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)http://www.unep.org/themes/energy/

UNEP’s Energy Programme addresses the environmentalconsequences of energy production and use, ranging fromglobal climate change to local air pollution. It is concernedwith renewable energy, energy efficiency, transport, energyfinance and policy issues.

The goal of the Programme is to insert a longer term, envi-ronmental dimension into energy sector decisions. Workingwith a wide range of partners, UNEP helps develop andimplement approaches for analysing and evaluating the envi-ronmental dimensions of energy policies, climate changemitigation options, energy sector reform, industrial energyefficiency and transport. For example, UNEP helps develop-ing countries factor the Clean Development Mechanism(CDM) created under the Kyoto Protocol into energy sectorplanning so that they can analyse how funds from CDM

investors might spur investment in clean energy. It alsodevelops analytic tools that help decision-makers achievepractical solutions to energy problems. UNEP is also helpingdeveloping countries overcome transport-related problemslike the phase-out of lead in gasoline and urban air pollution.

A special effort is made to help financial institutions betterunderstand the investment opportunities available inrenewable energy and energy efficiency, work that builds onUNEP’s Finance Initiatives involving leading banks andinsurance companies. Rural Energy Enterprise Developmentprojects under way in eight countries in Africa, Asia andLatin America are helping bring business developmentsupport and early-stage financing to innovative new cleanenergy companies. This effort is supported by the UnitedNations Foundation.

One of UNEP’s strengths in the energy field is its network ofcollaborating institutions, particularly the UNEP Collab-orating Centre on Energy and Environment. This interna-tional group of scientists, engineers and economists providestechnical and analytical support to UNEP and partners indeveloping countries. On environmental analysis and assess-ment, UNEP is assisting countries, with co-financing fromthe GEF, to carry out solar and wind resource assessments inpilot sites so as to determine the most suitable areas forrenewable energy investment.

UNEP is often selected by countries and donors to executeregional projects that improve South-South transfer of tech-nology, replication of success stories and regional co-opera-tion. Building on a wide network of NGOs, governmentagencies and industrial associations, UNEP can delegateresponsibility for large projects in a sustainable and country-driven manner.

UNESCOhttp://www.unesco.org/science/wsp/

In the area of energy, UNESCO is engaged in the promotionof renewable, environment-friendly sources of energy.UNESCO was the initiator of the World Solar Programme1996-2005, which promotes renewable energies like solarthermal and solar photovoltaic, wind, biomass, micro-hydro,tidal, ocean thermal, and geothermal. UNESCO advocatesfor renewable energy, capacity building, and the develop-ment of competent human resources; raises awareness aboutand promotes renewable energies; and provides policyadvice. In particular, activities aim at implementing theGlobal Renewable Energy Education and Training (GREET)Programme with particular emphasis on Africa.

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United Nations Industrial DevelopmentOrganization (UNIDO)http://www.unido.org/doc/501750.htmls

Energy and the environment are key thematic priorities inUNIDO’s work programme. Implementation of interna-tional environmental agreements is an important area thatincludes assistance to developing and transition countries inmeeting the requirements of the UN FrameworkConvention on Climate Change. UNIDO supports the con-vention’s intergovernmental process with capacity buildingand technology needs assessments in Africa and Asia, andwith evaluations of energy-efficient industrial technologiessuch as cogeneration.

Methodological work addressing baselines, additionality andthe calculation of carbon emissions reductions from energyefficiency projects is undertaken in preparation for entry intoforce of the Kyoto Protocol.

UNIDO’s energy-related technical assistance addresses boththe supply side, through provision of energy for industry,and the demand side, by improving industrial energy end-use efficiency. Projects currently under way support a broadseries of initiatives at the policy, institutional and enterpriselevels to increase efficiency in power generation and end useof energy, and to provide a solid foundation for the wide-spread introduction of renewable energy technologies.

Through its rural energy initiatives, UNIDO promotesincome-generating uses of energy for rural development andpoverty alleviation. UNIDO’s energy programmes covercapacity building related to renewable energy technology andthe assembly and manufacture of equipment and structuresin developing countries.

UNIDO works with the renewable source of energy (solar,mini-hydro, wind, biomass) most suitable to a given situa-tion. An interesting application is the use of solar PV forinformation and communication technologies for ruralareas, an approach particularly appropriate for sub-SaharanAfrica and rural Asia.

UNIDO works to raise awareness of innovative ways offinancing more efficient power-generating capacity throughbuild-own-operate and build-own-transfer schemes. Thisparticularly concerns hydropower projects in Latin Americaand coal plants in Asia. UNIDO has provided technicalassistance to power authorities and industrial energy R&Dcentres, focusing on clean coal and coal bed methane tech-nologies, improved access to gas supplies and modern refin-ery technologies.

To stimulate investment in renewable energy technologies,UNIDO disseminates information on the application of

mini-hydro, solar, wind and sustainable biomass. Work alsofocuses on technical assistance to improve industrial energyend-use efficiency. This includes institutional reforms toovercome technical, market and financial barriers to energyefficiency in energy-intensive industries.

UNIFEMhttp://www.unifem.org/

UNIFEM promotes gender equality and women’s social,economic and political empowerment. It works to ensure theparticipation of women in all levels of development planningand practice and acts as a catalyst within the UN system,supporting efforts that link the needs and concerns ofwomen to all critical issues on the national, regional andglobal agendas. UNIFEM’s work focuses on strengtheningwomen’s economic capacity as entrepreneurs and producers,increasing women’s participation in the decision-makingprocesses that shape their lives, and promoting women’shuman rights. Gender is a particularly important dimensionof policies and programmes in energy for development, givenpoor women’s central role in gathering sources of energy andusing them at the household level.

World Bankhttp://www.worldbank.org/energy/

The World Bank Group (WBG) approach focuses on fourbusiness lines in energy supply:

• helping the poor directly,

• improving macroeconomic and fiscal balances,

• promoting good governance and private-sector develop-ment and

• protecting the environment.

To realize the transition from traditional to modern energyuse for poor households that goes hand-in-hand with effi-cient and environmentally sustainable supply and use ofenergy, greater choice of energy services for consumers, andmacroeconomic and fiscal stability, the WBG implementsthese business lines in a variety of ways:

It works with clients and partners. For example, it supports thedevelopment of energy strategies for developing and transi-tion economies within a comprehensive development frame-work ensuring that their poverty reduction strategies dealwith energy issues.

It deploys its instruments selectively. For example, it combinesfinancing with capacity building assistance and advice orknowledge transfer. Where country and project creditwor-thiness are sufficient, the International Finance Corporationcan issue loans and equity, and the Multilateral Investment

Guarantee Agency can issue guarantees, to support privateinvestments. If they are not sufficient, the International Bankfor Reconstruction and Development or the InternationalDevelopment Association can issue partial risk guaranteeswith sovereign counter-guarantees to support private invest-ments, particularly where the key risk of a project relates toconcerns about government performance or policy reversal.

It forms partnerships with stakeholders. Besides governments,donors and utilities, this community includes non-govern-mental organizations, project developers and privateinvestors in energy corporations.

It exploits its comparative advantages. The WBG’s compara-tive advantages derive from its ability as a multilateral lenderto offer a combination of financing instruments, access todecision-makers and a comprehensive view of economic andsocial development that derives from its experience workingat the interface of poverty, macroeconomics, governance andthe environment.

World Health Organization (WHO)http://www.who.int/aboutwho/

Energy is key to sustainable development, and its impact onthe environment and on poverty alleviation has great impor-tance and relevance to WHO, the lead agency on health.Several key policy and strategy documents have guided, andcontinue to guide, WHO work in regard to energy-relatedactivities. These include the renewed Health-for-All policy(HFA in the 21st Century) and Agenda 21 (Chapter 6, forwhich WHO is task manager). WHO’s work is conducted incollaboration with other agencies in the UN system, region-al and international organizations, collaborating centres,research and academic institutions, non-governmentalorganizations and others.

The following are some examples of WHO activities relatedto energy use and services:

• assessing health impacts of development policies andprojects and building capacity in health impact assess-ment;

• contributing to energy health risk assessment;

• monitoring and assessing linkages between development,health and environment impacts, incorporating an energydimension;

• developing indicators and methodologies;

• promoting assessments of health impacts and inter-vention strategies related to various forms of householdenergy (with an emphasis on biomass burning), as wellas capacity-building, awareness-raising and policydevelopment;

• strengthening capacity in policy and planning for health;

• assessing air quality and health implications in urbanareas;

• supporting programmes to protect the health of workersand communities by promoting clean energy and cleantechnologies, including in the informal sector;

• promoting the use of alternative technologies in the ruralhealth sector, focussing on the provision of vaccine refrig-erators for the EPI cold chain; and

• assessing the health impacts on end-users of services pro-vided by energy.

World Meteorological Organization (WMO)http://www.wmo.ch/

WMO is the authoritative scientific voice in matters relatingto atmosphere, water and climate in the world arena.Weather and climate information are vital for developingrenewable energy resources and for efficient use of energy.WMO promotes sustainable energy production and use inseveral programmes. Activities include:

• co-ordination of observations of weather, climate andwater from thousands of locations daily;

• support for development of energy-related activities with-in the framework of the Intergovernmental Panel onClimate Change; and

• contribution to the development of methods for compar-ative assessment of environmental impacts of differentenergy sources.

Different forms of energy production, including hydropow-er, biomass energy, solar and wind energy, draw on resourcesthat are more or less directly dependent on climate condi-tions. A major thrust in WMO programmes is the provisionof guidance material and capacity building in the needs andrequirements for services to the energy sector.

Regional Commissions

The Regional Commissions support a wide range of energyactivities: technical co-operation, policy advice, research,analysis, data/statistics, exchange of best practices, meetings,regional integration and co-ordination, publications, net-working and training. See links below for specific areas ofintervention.

Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)Fostering Sustainable Development http://www.uneca.org/programmes_home.htm

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Economic Commission for Europe (ECE)Sustainable Energyhttp://www.unece.org/energy/nrghome.htmlTransport, Environment, and Healthhttp://www.unece.org/poja/

Economic Commission for Latin Americaand the Caribbean (ECLAC)Environment and Human Settlementshttp://www.eclac.org/dmaah/Natural Resources http://www.eclac.org/drni/

Economic and Social Commission for Asiaand the Pacific (ESCAP)Environment and Natural Resources http://www.unescap.org/enrd/Population, Rural and Urban Development http://www.unescap.org/pop/division.htm

Economic and Social Commission for WesternAsia (ESCWA)Energy http://www.escwa.org.lb/divisions/environment/eis.htmlEnvironment Coordinationhttp://www.escwa.org.lb/divisions/environment/ecu.htmlNatural Resources http://www.escwa.org.lb/divisions/environment/nrs.html

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