By working together Asia can save US$766 billion in energy costs in the next 20 years
May 1st, 2008 - by Nazia Vasi
Over the next 22 years, China will need to spend US$1 trillion on transmission and distribution of energy networks and India will need to spend US$700 billion in the electricity and oil sectors, says a report, which was issued at the 64th session the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).
The report continues to say that if Asia-Pacific governments follow a more sustainable energy paradigm they can shave US$766 billion off the estimated US$9 trillion needed to improve their energy infrastructure by 2030.
The cost of expanding and modernizing energy systems in the Asia-Pacific region to meet soaring demand between now and 2030 is expected to reach US$9 trillion, but this could be cut to US$8.3 trillion if the region follows a sustainable energy scenario, said the report.
Asia needs to get more innovative in the way we use energy in order to have a more sustainable future - while people’s energy consumption is on the rise, governments need to find a way to mitigate the adverse impact of global warming. The region also needs to work together for greater regional and sub-regional cooperation in order to develop an energy infrastructure which promotes equitable economic and social development without compromising the environment said ESCAP Exectuive Secretary Noeleen Heyzer.
Between 1990 to 2004, per capita energy use in the region more than doubled,” said UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in an opening address to the ESCAP session. At the same time some 1.7 billion people in the region are using bio-mass fuels, and 1 billion people still lack access to electricity. Asia also has the highest death toll resulting from indoor air pollution caused by burning biomass - such as wood and animal dung - amounting to nearly 1.3 million a year in India, China and South-East Asia, Ki-moon added.
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