Author
GK
United Nation according to Millennium Development Goals initiated that the year of 2012 will be dedicated to 'Sustainable energy for all'. With leadership from UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, UN-Energy – a coordinating group of 20 UN agencies – is undertaking the new global initiative.
The main arguments are discussed on the UN website, some of them are mentioned here:
- More than three billion people in developing countries rely on traditional biomass for cooking and heating. One and a half billion people are without electricity and even when energy services are available, millions of poor people are unable to pay for them.
- Thus, there is an inextricable link between energy and sustainable development and modern, cleaner and more efficient energy is relevant in the eradication of poverty.
- Access to modern affordable energy services is essential for achieving sustainable development, which would help to reduce poverty and to improve the conditions and standard of living for the majority of the wor ld’s population.
- Access to cleaner energy technology options is essential to achieve a climate-resilient future for all.
- To improve access to reliable, affordable, economically viable, socially acceptable and environmentally sound energy services and resources is necessary for sustainable development.
- UN stressed that the wider use and exploration of available and additional cleaner, new and renewable sources of energy require technology transfer and dispersal on a global scale, including through North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation.
The initiative will engage governments, the private sector, and civil society partners globally to achieve three major goals by 2030:
- Ensure universal access to modern energy services.
- Reduce global energy intensity by 40 per cent.
- Increase renewable energy use globally to 30 per cent.
