Energy and Environment in the Context of Sustainable Development Goals in India

Transcription

1 Book Launch and Workshop Energy and Environment in the Context of Sustainable Development Goals in India Sustainable Development and Our Common Future The report of the World Council on Environment and Development Our Common Future defined the concept of sustainable development as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Through three pillars, sustainable development seeks to achieve, in a balanced manner, economic development, social equity and environmental protection. The concept of sustainable development has been mainstreamed in multilateral fora since 1992 with the landmark United Nations Conference on Environment and Development held Rio de Janeiro. Since then, sustainable development is receiving increased focus by member states who have been working on mainstreaming sustainable development in national development strategies. One of the main outcomes of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD), Rio+20 was the agreement by Member States to launch a process to develop a set of sustainable development goals (SDGs). The Open Working Group established by the United Nations has proposed seventeen SDGs with 169 targets covering a broad range of sustainable development issues, including ending poverty and hunger, improving health and education, making cities more sustainable, combating climate change, and protecting oceans and forests. One of the notable additions to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is a dedicated goal on sustainable energy. Once the SDGs are finalized and officially adopted at the upcoming United Nations General Assembly, global and national reporting and monitoring mechanisms will play an important role in understanding the progress of outcomes at the global and national levels. For the SDGs to be successful, much greater efforts are needed for building national statistical capacities and improve data collection. Knowledge processes will also help mobilize governments, businesses, and civil society organizations around a shared set of sustainable development goals for our common future. Developing countries such as India need to develop additional capabilities to achieve sustainable development outcomes. Means of implementation is important for mobilization of resources from a various sources and the effective use of financing to promote sustainable development. Sustainable Energy Goals In the proposed sustainable development goals by OWG, Goal 7 aims at ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all. The three sub-goals include access to modern energy Page 1 of 6

2 services, increasing the share of renewable energy, and improvement in energy efficiency. Modern energy services are crucial to human well-being and for a country s economic development. Access to modern energy is essential for the provision of clean water, sanitation and health care, and for the provision of reliable and efficient lighting, heating, food, cooking, transport, and telecommunication services. On the other hand, environmental and resource management considerations make it necessary to minimize the use of energy from conventional sources by improving energy efficiency and increasing the share of renewable sources in the production and use of energy (UNSD 2014). India is on a path of development, which would impose a growing demand on energy supply for giving impetus to industrial progress and modern economic activity as well for meeting the basic needs of the poor. Coal and oil together accounted for 86% of the total energy supply in India in Given the limited and unevenly distributed supply of non-renewable resources, it will become extremely difficult to meet India s growing energy demand by relying on conventional energy alone. Harvesting renewable energy in a decentralized manner is one of the options in meeting the challenges of providing modern energy services in India. It may be seen that progress in terms of global outcomes in the thematic area of sustainable energy is off-track (Annexure 1). Environmental Sustainability Goals The collective partnership of all stakeholders is necessary to mainstream the essence of sustainable development and ensure the protection of environment. Article 51-A (g) of The Constitution of India has also enshrined protection of natural environment as a fundamental duty of every citizen. The clause says that It shall be the duty of every citizen of India to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife and to have compassion for living creatures. Within a federal context, the Indian government is creating incentives to promote conservation of natural resources. In the Fourteenth Finance Commission, 42% of the all taxes will be shared with the state government. In the formula for distributing the money across states, 7.5 per cent weightage is given to the forest cover in the category of high density and medium density forests. Increasing human population and infrastructure needs requires more natural resources including water, land and materials that have implications for carrying capacity of ecosystems. In India 56% of the population is dependent on activities related to natural resource management. Water availability is approaching the scarcity benchmark of 1000 m 3 per capita (TERI 2009). Based on different research studies, the estimated economic cost of degradation for India ranges from 3% of GDP (Muthukumara et al. 2012) to 10% of GDP (TERI 1998). Issues around local environment such as air pollution, water quality, and inadequate waste management continue to affect a large proportion of the country s population. It may be seen that in environment related thematic areas (including climate change, biodiversity, forests), progress in terms of global outcomes are off-track (Annexure 1). TERI Energy & Environment Data Diary and Yearbook The Twenty Ninth edition of TERI Energy & Environment Data Diary and Yearbook (TEDDY 2014/15) would be released in the workshop. TEDDY is an annual publication brought out by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) since 1986 which presents state of art information on energy supply, energy Page 2 of 6

3 demand and environment. The data in TEDDY is compiled from various government sources, policy documents and other secondary data. The data in the yearbook provides the latest available information at the time of compilation of the chapters. Each edition of TEDDY contains India s commercial energy balances that provide comprehensive information on energy flows within different sectors in the economy. TEDDY is a well referenced document and is often cited in government policy documents and scholarly articles. It is envisaged that TEDDY in future could become a periodic source for a discussion on energy and environment goals. In the latest edition of TEDDY, a chapter on sustainable development goals, and a chapter on sustainable energy is included. The Workshop TERI is organizing a workshop titled, Energy and Environment in the Context of Sustainable Development Goals in India. The objective of the workshop is to stir discussion on energy and environment goals for India in the context of sustainable development goals. The event will also see the release of the Twenty Ninth Edition of TEDDY 2014/15. The workshop is an output of a project on energy and environment under the DFID-TERI Partnership for Clean Energy Access and Improved Policies for Sustainable Development. The workshop will be conducted in the form of structured panel discussions. The three topical sessions include (1) Sustainable Development Goals in context of India, (2) Sustainable Energy, and (3) Environmental Sustainability. The set-up will involve a panel of experts and the participating audience. For each panel, an expert chairperson who has an expertise in the relevant area will preside and moderate the discussion. The session will begin with the Chairperson of the session making remarks and setting the stage for a broader discussion. All other experts represented on the panel will make interventions based on the order decided by the Chairperson. The chair will then invite questions and comments from participants in the room. The Chair will sum up the discussion briefly by distilling key points of relevance emerging from the discussion. The workshop proceedings will be circulated to the participants and other stakeholders. Page 3 of 6

4 Annexure 1: Progress towards achievement of goals or commitments in key thematic areas Thematic areas 1. Poverty eradication (MDGs) 2. Food security and sustainable agriculture (MDGs and beyond) 3. Water and sanitation (MDGs) Energy/ Environm ent areas Biodiversit y Water 4. Health (MDGs) Air quality 5. Education (MDGs) 6. Employment (MDGs) 7. Oceans (Ch. 17 of Agenda 21; JPOI; Aichi Targets 6, 10 and 11; Target 7.B of MDG) 8. Biodiversity (Aichi Targets; MDG Target 7.B) 9. Forest (Aichi Targets on forest; Four shared global objectives on forests, agreed at UNFF Session 6) 10. Sustainable consumption and production (SCP) (Ch.4 Agenda 21; and JPOI Ch. 3) Water Biodiversit y Biodiversit y Forests Waste managem ent Resource efficiency Selected international reports and assessments Goals Reports; World Bank-IMF Global Monitoring Reports Goals Reports; World Bank-IMF Global Monitoring Reports; FAO The State of World Reports; the State of Food Insecurity Reports; UNCCD Reports Goals Reports; World Bank-IMF Global Monitoring Reports; UN World Water Development Report; Goals Report; World Bank-IMF Global Monitoring Reports; WHO World Health Report Goals Report; World Bank-IMF Global Monitoring Reports; UNESCO Global Monitoring Reports ILO Global Employment Trends; World Bank World Development Reports UNGA Regular Process for Global Reporting and Assessment of the State of the Marine Environment, including Socioeconomic Aspects; UNEP Keeping Track Reports; CBD Global Biodiversity Outlooks UN Forest Forum Reports; CBD Global Biodiversity Outlooks; FAO Global Forest Resources Assessments UN Trends Reports: Towards Sustainable Consumption Production; World Business Council for SD: Vision 2050 Report; UNEP: The Marrakech Process Progress Report Existing goals or commitments Eradicate poverty World free of hunger Ensure access to safe drinking water and stop unsustainable exploitation of water resources Reduce child mortality; improve maternal health; combat HIV/AIDs etc. Universal primary schooling Full and productive employment and decent work for all. Protection of the oceans and all kinds of seas 20 Aichi Goals of halting global biodiversity loss Forest component of Aichi targets: reducing deforestation Changing unsustainable patterns of consumption and production Examples of existing targets Reduce extreme poverty by half by 2015 Reduce hunger by half by 2015 Reduce proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation by half by 2015 Reduce by two thirds, between 1990 and 2015, the under-five mortality rate By 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling Time-bound targets for assessments are not stated By 2015, the multiple anthropogenic pressures on coral reefs are minimized, to maintain their integrity and functioning Achieving, by 2010, a significant reduction in the rate of biodiversity loss A 25 per cent reduction in annual global deforestation and degradation rates by 2015 relative to the average International Plan of Action is in place, but no timebound target yet Current status Completed in the MDGs context, but still 1 billion people in extreme poverty On-track in the MDGs context On-track in the MDGs context On-track in the MDGs context Page 4 of 6

5 Thematic areas 11. Means of implementation (MDGs, Rio+20; Copenhagen Accord) 12. Sustained and inclusive economic growth (Rio+20) 13. Needs of countries in special situations, and midincome countries (Istanbul PoA; Rio+20) 14. Human rights, the right to development and global governance (Rio+20) Energy/ Environm ent areas Developm ent cooperati on 15. Equality (MDGs) 16. Energy (Rio+20 Outcome Document) 17. Sustainable cities, transport (MDGs etc.) 18. Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction (Copenhagen Accord) 19. Conflict prevention, postconflict peacebuilding Clean energy Energy access Resource efficiency Climate change response Selected international reports and assessments UNCTAD Trade and Investment Reports; MDG Gap Task Force Reports; World Bank World Development Reports; IPCC Reports WIPO Annual Reports UN DESA World Economic and Social Survey; UNIDO Industrial Development Report SG s Report on Implementation of the Programme of Action for the LDCs; UN- OHRLLS Reports on LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS; ADB: African Development Reports UNDP Human Development Reports; World Bank: World Development Reports Human Development Reports; UN-Women Progress of the World s Women; UN Millennium Development Goals Reports Global Tracking Framework Report; IIASA Global Energy Assessment; IEA World Energy Outlooks; IPCC WG III Reports UN-HABITAT: Global Reports on Human Settlement; IEA: World Energy Outlook. IPCC Assessment Reports; UNFCCC Independent Reports; UNEP: Emission Gap Reports; World Bank: Turn Down the Heat Reports; UNISDR Global Assessment Report Human Security Report Existing goals or commitments Develop a global partnership for development. Achieve sustainable, inclusive and equitable economic growth. Address special needs of Africa, LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS; goals/commitments on mid- income countries Respect, protect and promote human rights and fundamental freedom for all Promote gender equality and empower women Make sustainable energy for all a reality Improve the lives of slum-dwellers Hold global mean temperature increase below 2 C Maintain international peace and security UN Charter Source: United Nations (2014); Column 2 is self-tabulated Examples of existing targets Meet the 0.7% ODA/GNI target now; $100 bn per year for climate change by 2020 Equal girl s enrolment in primary school; women s share of paid employment etc. by 2015 Achieve, by 2020, a significant improvement in the lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers By 2050 or longer term based on scientific evidence Time-bound goals are not stated Current status Mixed progress. Mixed progress among these groups. Mixed progress. Different views on how much progress has been made. Page 5 of 6

6 References Mani, Muthukumara; Anil Markandya; Aarsi Sagar; Sebnem Sahin (2012). India s Economic Growth and Environmental Sustainability: What Are the Tradeoffs? Policy Research Working Paper No pages. Available from 9_ /Rendered/PDF/wps6208.pdf OWG (2014). Open Working Group proposal for Sustainable Development Goals. Available from TERI (1998). Green India 2047: Looking Back to Think Ahead. New Delhi: The Energy and Resources Institute. TERI (2009). Green India 2047: Looking Back to Think Ahead. New Delhi: The Energy and Resources Institute. United Nations (2014). Prototype Global Sustainable Development Report. Online unedited edition. New York: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Division for Sustainable Development, 1 July Available from UNSD (2014). Compendium of Statistical Notes for the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals. Geneva : United Nations Statistics Division Page 6 of 6