Energy security must benefit Asia's people and the planet

Noeleen Heyzer says Asia can't sacrifice sustainability for equitable access
Noeleen Heyzer, South China Morning Post, 9 Oct 13;

The world is at a critical juncture. Energy consumption is rising dramatically; total primary energy demand in the Asia-Pacific region alone is expected to nearly double between 2010 and 2030.

How will the region meet this demand? How will we grow in a sustainable way? How can universal energy access be achieved? These are some of the key questions being addressed at the World Energy Congress in Daegu, South Korea, this month.

The world today faces two main energy challenges: providing enough light, warmth and power for every household, while shifting to cleaner energy sources.

Ensuring sustainable energy for all is additionally challenging in Asia and the Pacific - there are still 628 million people in the region without access to electricity, and 1.8 billion still use traditional fuels such as wood, charcoal, agricultural residues and animal waste.

Widespread energy poverty condemns billions to darkness, ill-health and missed opportunities. We must end this inequality, but we need to do so in a way that is smart and sustainable, utilising natural resources, while preserving the integrity of the ecosystems on which we depend.

The Asia-Pacific region also has some of the highest levels of carbon intensity. Our primary energy intensity is among the highest in the world, despite significant reductions in recent decades. This limits national and regional competitiveness - jeopardising employment opportunities and income levels.

The region has some of the largest exporters and importers of fossil fuels, as well as the highest rates of fossil fuel subsidies. The increasing dependency on fossil fuel imports exposes our region to the risks of oil price volatility, and the impacts of climate change.

Rebalancing our energy mix is therefore critical. The countries of our region have one of the fastest growing rates of investment in renewable energy, taking advantage of our ample supplies of solar, hydro, wind, biomass, geothermal and ocean energies. Still, the current energy mix remains mostly fossil fuel-based, especially coal, with renewable resources accounting for only 16 per cent of total electricity production.

A comprehensive, long-term understanding of "enhanced energy security" is evolving in the region. This concept moves beyond calculations of supply and demand alone, towards a consideration of multiple aspects, including access, efficiency, renewables, economics, trade and investment, and connectivity.

As early as 2008, member states of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (Escap) were developing a regional framework to address these challenges. In a lecture last year in Singapore, I proposed that the region should explore the creation of a game-changing Asian Energy Highway - an integrated regional "smart grid".

These discussions culminated in May. Supported by the Russian Federation, 34 countries met in Vladivostok and adopted a groundbreaking framework that included a five-year plan of action on regional co-operation for enhanced energy security and the sustainable use of energy.

One key area is to develop common infrastructure, and to promote energy policies which accelerate regional economic integration. Energy connectivity is not new to the region; the Asean Power Grid, for example, is one several subregional initiatives that could be linked and expanded under a common vision.

The lesson of this and other initiatives is that co-operation works best when it is based on such a common vision. Our region is committed to shaping the regional energy future we want: one of equity, efficiency and resilience, to benefit our people and our planet.

Dr Noeleen Heyzer is the UN undersecretary general and Escap executive secretary