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Summary for Policy Makers
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- By Thomas B. Johansson, Lund University, Nebojsa Nakicenovic, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis and Vienna University of Technology, Anand Patwardhan, Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay), Luis Gomez-Echeverri, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Rangan Banerjee, Indian Institute of Technology, Sally M. Benson, Stanford University, Daniel H. Bouille, Bariloche Foundation, Abeeku Brew-Hammond, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Aleh Cherp, Central European University, Suani T. Coelho, National Reference Center on Biomass, University of São Paulo, Lisa Emberson, Stockholm Environment Institute, University of York, Maria Josefina Figueroa, Technical University, Arnulf Grubler, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Austria and Yale University, Kebin He, Tsinghua University, Mark Jaccard, Simon Fraser University, Suzana Kahn Ribeiro, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Stephen Karekezi, AFREPREN/FWD, Eric D. Larson, Princeton University and Climate Central, Zheng Li, Tsinghua University, Susan McDade, United Nations Development Programme), Lynn K. Mytelka, United Nations University-MERIT, Shonali Pachauri, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Keywan Riahi, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Johan Rockström, Stockholm Environment Institute, Stockholm University, Hans-Holger Rogner, International Atomic Energy Agency, Joyashree Roy, Jadavpur University, Robert N. Schock, World Energy Council, UK and Center for Global Security Research, Ralph Sims, Massey University, Kirk R. Smith, University of California, Wim C. Turkenburg, Utrecht University, Diana Ürge-Vorsatz, Central European University, Frank von Hippel, Princeton University, Kurt Yeager, Electric Power Research Institute and Galvin Electricity Initiative
- Global Energy Assessment Writing Team
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- Book:
- Global Energy Assessment
- Published online:
- 05 September 2012
- Print publication:
- 27 August 2012, pp 3-30
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Summary
Introduction
Energy is essential for human development and energy systems are a crucial entry point for addressing the most pressing global challenges of the 21st century, including sustainable economic and social development, poverty eradication, adequate food production and food security, health for all, climate protection, conservation of ecosystems, peace and security. Yet, more than a decade into the 21st century, current energy systems do not meet these challenges.
A major transformation is therefore required to address these challenges and to avoid potentially catastrophic future consequences for human and planetary systems. The Global Energy Assessment (GEA) demonstrates that energy system change is the key for addressing and resolving these challenges. The GEA identifies strategies that could help resolve the multiple challenges simultaneously and bring multiple benefits. Their successful implementation requires determined, sustained and immediate action.
Transformative change in the energy system may not be internally generated; due to institutional inertia, incumbency and lack of capacity and agility of existing organizations to respond effectively to changing conditions. In such situations clear and consistent external policy signals may be required to initiate and sustain the transformative change needed to meet the sustainability challenges of the 21st century.
The industrial revolution catapulted humanity onto an explosive development path, whereby, reliance on muscle power and traditional biomass was replaced mostly by fossil fuels. In 2005, some 78% of global energy was based on fossil energy sources that provided abundant and ever cheaper energy services to more than half the people in the world.
Chapter 19 - Energy Access for Development
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- By Shonali Pachauri, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Abeeku Brew-Hammond, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Douglas F. Barnes, Energy for Development, Daniel H. Bouille, Bariloche Foundation, Stephen Gitonga, United Nations Development Programme, Vijay Modi, Columbia University, Gisela Prasad, University of Cape Town, Amitav Rath, Policy Research International Inc., Hisham Zerriffi, University of British Columbia, Touria Dafrallah, Environment and Development Action in the Third World, Conrado Heruela, United Nations Environment Programme, Francis Kemausuor, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Reza Kowsari, University of British Columbia, Yu Nagai, Vienna University of Technology, Kamal Rijal, United Nations Development Programme, Minoru Takada, United Nations Development Programme, Njeri Wamukonya, formerly United Nations Environment Programme, Jayant Sathaye, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
- Global Energy Assessment Writing Team
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- Book:
- Global Energy Assessment
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- 05 September 2012
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- 27 August 2012, pp 1401-1458
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Summary
Executive Summary
Key Challenges
A quarter of humanity today lives without access to any electricity and almost one-half still depends on solid fuels such as unprocessed biomass, coal, or charcoal for its thermal needs. These people continue to suffer a multitude of impacts detrimental to their welfare. Most live in rural villages and urban slums in developing nations. Access to affordable modern energy carriers is a necessary, but insufficient step toward alleviating poverty and enabling the expansion of local economies.
Even among populations with physical access to electricity and modern fuels, a lack of affordability and reliable supplies limits the extent to which a transition to using these can occur. Those who can afford the improved energy carriers may still not be able to afford the upfront costs of connections or the conversion technology or equipment that makes that energy useful.
Beyond the obvious uses of energy for lighting, cooking, heating, and basic home appliances, uses for purposes that might bring economic development to an area are slow to emerge without institutional mechanisms in place that are conducive to fostering entrepreneurial activity and uses of energy for activities that can generate income. Without the expansion of energy uses to activities that generate income, the economic returns to energy providers are likely to remain unattractive in poor and dispersed rural markets.
Significant success has been achieved with small pilot projects to improve energy access in some rural areas and among poor communities in urban areas. But subsequently, less thought is focused on how to scale-up from these small pilot and demonstration projects to market development and meeting the needs of the larger population.
Chapter 23 - Policies for Energy Access
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- By Daniel H. Bouille, Bariloche Foundation, Hugo Altomonte, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, Douglas F. Barnes, Energy for Development, Touria Dafrallah, Environment and Development Action in the Third World, Hu Gao, Energy Research Institute, Hector Pistonesi, Bariloche Foundation, Ram M. Shrestha, Asian Institute of Technology, Eugene Visagie, University of Cape Town, Jean Acquatella, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, Suani T. Coelho, Brazilian Reference Center on Biomass, Sivanappan Kumar, Asian Institute of Technology, Debajit Palit, The Energy and Resources Institute, Gisela Prasad, University of Cape Town, Leena Srivastava, The Energy and Resources Institute
- Global Energy Assessment Writing Team
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- Book:
- Global Energy Assessment
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- 05 September 2012
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- 27 August 2012, pp 1603-1664
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Summary
Executive Summary
A number of factors contribute to the lack of access to modern forms of energy. They include low income levels, unequal income distribution, inequitable distribution of modern forms of energy, a lack of financial resources to build the necessary infrastructure, weak institutional and legal frameworks, and a lack of political commitment to the scaling up of services. An absence of specific policies oriented to poverty alleviation often explains inequitable economic growth and, consequently, inequality in access to and use of energy. In recent years, several developing countries have defined targets aimed at improving access to electricity, but many developing countries still have no modern forms of energy access targets in place that address meeting basic energy services, including modern fuels for cooking and mechanical power.
As Chapter 2 argues, developing countries require adequate access to modern energy, especially among the poor, in order to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as well as their own national development objectives. In line with GEA objectives, Chapter 17 pathways are designed to describe transformative changes toward a more sustainable future. A specific feature of the GEA energy transition pathways is that they simultaneously achieve normative goals related to all major energy challenges, including environmental impacts of energy conversion and use, as well as energy security and energy access. ‘Energy access’ refers to those challenges clearly described in Chapter 19, which will be addressed in this chapter.
Affordable and sustainable universal access to modern forms of energy depends on the evolution of income level and income distribution.
Technical Summary
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- By Thomas B. Johansson, Lund University, Nebojsa Nakicenovic, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis and Vienna University of Technology, Anand Patwardhan, Indian Institute of Technology, Luis Gomez-Echeverri, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Doug J. Arent, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Rangan Banerjee, Indian Institute of Technology, Sally M. Benson, Stanford University, Daniel H. Bouille, Bariloche Foundation, Abeeku Brew-Hammond, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Aleh Cherp, Central European University, Suani T. Coelho, National Reference Center on Biomass, University of São Paulo, Lisa Emberson, Stockholm Environment Institute, University of York, Maria Josefina Figueroa, Technical University, Arnulf Grubler, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Austria and Yale University, Kebin He, Tsinghua University, Mark Jaccard, Simon Fraser University, Suzana Kahn Ribeiro, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Stephen Karekezi, AFREPREN/FWD, Eric D. Larson, Princeton University and Climate Central, Zheng Li, Tsinghua University, Susan McDade, United Nations Development Programme, Lynn K. Mytelka, United Nations University-MERIT, Shonali Pachauri, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Keywan Riahi, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Johan Rockström, Stockholm Environment Institute, Stockholm University, Hans-Holger Rogner, International Atomic Energy Agency, Joyashree Roy, Jadavpur University, Robert N. Schock, World Energy Council, UK and Center for Global Security Research, Ralph Sims, Massey University, Kirk R. Smith, University of California, Wim C. Turkenburg, Utrecht University, Diana Ürge-Vorsatz, Central European University, Frank von Hippel, Princeton University, Kurt Yeager, Electric Power Research Institute and Galvin Electricity Initiative
- Global Energy Assessment Writing Team
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- Book:
- Global Energy Assessment
- Published online:
- 05 September 2012
- Print publication:
- 27 August 2012, pp 31-94
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Summary
Introduction
Energy is essential for human development and energy systems are a crucial entry point for addressing the most pressing global challenges of the 21st century, including sustainable economic, and social development, poverty eradication, adequate food production and food security, health for all, climate protection, conservation of ecosystems, peace, and security. Yet, more than a decade into the 21st century, current energy systems do not meet these challenges.
In this context, two considerations are important. The first is the capacity and agility of the players within the energy system to seize opportunities in response to these challenges. The second is the response capacity of the energy system itself, as the investments are long-term and tend to follow standard financial patterns, mainly avoiding risks and price instabilities. This traditional approach does not embrace the transformation needed to respond properly to the economic, environmental, and social sustainability challenges of the 21st century.
A major transformation is required to address these challenges and to avoid potentially catastrophic consequences for human and planetary systems. The GEA identifies strategies that could help resolve the multiple challenges simultaneously and bring multiple benefits. Their successful implementation requires determined, sustained, and immediate action.
The industrial revolution catapulted humanity onto an explosive development path, whereby reliance on muscle power and traditional biomass was replaced mostly by fossil fuels. In 2005, approximately 78% of global energy was based on fossil energy sources that provided abundant and ever cheaper energy services to more than half the world's population.