by Nina Somera, Isis International

Energy has been a key driver of our activities, from our everyday realities to the operations of global economies. Given the expected growth of industries in coming year, it is estimated that the world would require 50 per cent more energy in only 20 years. But as signs of environmental stress become more palpable, there is an increasing need on the manner we have fueled the world.

Yet such imperative to significantly cut down dependence on fossil fuels is met by resistance especially with the premium often placed on profits. As the International Energy Agency (IEA) pointed out, “The energy sector has a relatively slow rate of capital replacement in general, due to the long lifetime of much of its capital — for producing, supply and using energy. As a result, more efficient technologies normally take many years to spread through the energy sector.”

This, despite the unsustainability and sometime inefficiency of major non-renewable power sources and ultimately, inequitable relationships over trade in energy. Red Constantino of NGO Forum on the ADB cited as example coal, which accounted for 27 per cent of the world’s energy consumption in 2006. “Even in the most advanced countries, coal only delivers 36 to 50 per cent thermal effiency. In ‘clean coal,’‘clean’ only refers to the technology but not the coal itself. It cannot do anything on carbon dioxide” he said. Aside from coal, non-renewable sources that rely on fossil fuels include oil and gas as opposed to renewable sources that are readily available such as wind, sun, moving water, hot rocks and biomass.

Constantino likewise highlighted the need to interrogate not only the technologies but their implications to communities and countries. Energy production is often oriented towards the need of the metropolis at the expense of rural communities where power plants are located. In many instances, communities are not consulted over the construction of so-called “development” projects. He remarked, “there is always a threat to sovereignty when one’s basic need is dependent on other countries” especially with power purchase agreements and other similar arrangements.

Constantino recognised though that any transition from non-renewable to renewable energy source need to be gradual particularly in the South, given the implications of such moves on the labour sector. “We must begin with the developed countries as they have used up the space,” he said. “Even without a climate crisis, we still need to shift to renewable energy because it I is the wiser option in responding to issues of equity and justice,” he added

The Conference on Power and Water Alternatives was organised by Jubilee South-Asia Pacific Movement on Debt and Development and NGO Forum on the ADB with Focus on the Global South, Freedom from Debt Coalition and South Asia Alliance for Poverty Eradication from 30 September to 3 October 2009 at the October 14 Monument in Bangkok, Thailand.

Other sources:

Energy Information Administration (2009). “International Energy Outlook 2009.” URL: http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/ieo/coal.html

International Energy Agency (2008). “World Energy Outlook 2008.” URL: http://www.iea.org/Textbase/npsum/WEO2008SUM.pdf

International Institute for Sustainable Development (nd). “Climate Change and Energy.” URL: http://www.iisd.org/climate/