Volume 1
Global climate change and sustainable development : third report of Session 2001-02 / International Development Committee.
- Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. International Development Committee
- Date:
- 2002
Licence: Open Government Licence
Credit: Global climate change and sustainable development : third report of Session 2001-02 / International Development Committee. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![63. Significant investment related to energy and power generation, mainly based on fossil fuels, is taking place in developing countries (see table 12). Little is focused on renewable energy or energy efficiency because they are thought to be associated with high costs and long payback periods.'** Investing in more sustainable technologies could contribute towards sustainable development and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.'” The Clean Development Mechanism, the Global Environment Facility and multilateral development banks have a significant role to play in helping to shift the focus of mvestment. The policies of developing countries must ensure that investments help to provide long-term sustainability, deliver emission reductions and encourage technology transfer. However, any policies to mitigate greenhouse gases in developing countries should not result in inequitable restrictions on access to fossil fuels as a source of energy.'”° Estimated lifetime CO, emissions from these projects 40.6 bn tons Worldwide CO, emissions from consumption/flaring of fossil 22.3 bn tons fuels, 1999: No. of World Bank Group fossil fuel projects, since 1992 212 Renewable energy/energy efficiency financing, World Bank US$900 million Group, since 1992 No. of World Bank Group renewable energy/energy efficiency projects, since 1992 Top three recipient countries of World Bank fossil fuel aid since India (US$3.196 bn) 1992 China (US$2.914 bn) Russia (US$2.89 bn) Total megawatts, fossil fuel power plant generation capacity 39,423MW financed by World Bank since 1992 Total megawatts, existing solar power plant generation capacity worldwide, 2000: 64. Switching from high carbon fossil fuels to gas or even to renewable energy is only part of the answer in providing energy to the rural poor. The provision of alternative forms of energy needs to be done in parallel with policies to improve the sustainability of biomass (such as firewood, agricultural crops, energy crops, and other organic matter) as an energy source. Half the world depends on biomass fuels for domestic energy and more than two billion people use biomass for cooking. Making the use of biomass more sustainable will havea price. The International Energy Agency has estimated that it would cost about US$ 12 billion to encourage sixty per cent of biomass users to use energy more sustainably.'”® Set against this, however, policies to reduce greenhouse gases would bring substantial health benefits by tackling the high levels of indoor pollution associated with biomass, or reducing by vehicle emissions.’ Donors should promote sustainable use of biomass 1947 inkages between climate change and sustainable development, Beg et al, 2001 (submitted to Climate Policy in October 2001 revised December 2001) '°Fy 146 [para 2.2] ore 139 f oe” Sustainable Energy and Economy Network, see www.seen.org/pages/vital.shtml oEV 144 [paras 11-14] Ey 50 [para 4]](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b32221356_0001_0044.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
