Sustainable Energy News
Displaying Results 51 - 75 of 125
Buildings are a major emitter of CO2 and a major energy consumer. Radical changes to the design and construction of buildings, to retrofitting of existing building stock, and to the way energy is supplied and used in buildings are critically important if UNECE member States wish to meet their
The 10th International Forum on Energy for Sustainable Development opened today in Bangkok, Thailand. Delegates to the Forum underscored the need for greater collaboration between governments and the private sector, and for inter-regional dialogue if the global energy transition is to be realized
Energy and water resources are integrally related and strongly interdependent. Facilitating their integrated management and monitoring can therefore offer an important foundation for sustainable development. The United Nations Framework Classification of Resources (UNFC), developed at UNECE, can
Turkey and Ukraine are important coal producers. With in-country reserves, coal is central to both countries’ near-term and long-term energy strategies. Each of them has vast experience in coal mining; however, they still face multiple challenges associated with methane gas released from mining
Africa leads the world in implementing a new system for management of resources Africa-wide. The new system, based on the United Nations Framework Classification for Resources (UNFC), will launch the continent on a path of social, environmental and economic progress. In 2009, Africa inaugurated a
Profits matter in any industry but prioritizing short-term financial gains at the expense of longer-term considerations – which must also address social and environmental aspects – cannot be an enduring business model. Raising objectives in terms of social and environmental outcomes can
To harness important synergies between energy efficiency, gas and renewable energy, we need to first address methane emissions and introduce new concepts such as renewable and decarbonized gases and hydrogen.This was the principal conclusion of the sixth session of the UNECE Group of Experts on
Capitalizing on countries’ renewable energy potential requires bringing together different actors and interests in order to overcome barriers and identify priority actions.Responding to this need, “New Possibilities for Developing Renewable Energy Sustainably in Serbia” was the focus of the 6th
Improving energy efficiency in buildings is one of the most cost-effective ways to ensure energy security, improve the quality of life and economic well-being, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The building sector presents a unique opportunity to improve energy efficiency substantially – both
Colombia is an important coal producer. Its overall extraction represents over 81.2% of Latin American output. Its reserves constitute almost a half of the continent’s total reserves of these resources. Colombia is also the world's fourth largest exporter of coal with low ash and sulfur dioxide
Resource development and production are often seen as a “drain industry” that leaves behind wastes and a broken planet, along with socio-economic concerns such as exposing a resource-dependent national economy to resource depletion, and other risks such as the so-called “Dutch disease” and
Many low-carbon technologies require vast amounts of critical raw materials. Renewable energy, battery storage, nuclear energy, energy efficiency, and carbon capture and storage all need critical raw materials. Discussions on critical raw materials typically focus on demand, yet broader
The world is not on track to meet the target of the Paris Agreement to limit global warming to 'well below' 2°C. Participants at the Ninth International Forum of Energy for Sustainable Development (12-15 November 2018) in Kiev, Ukraine, deliberated on how nuclear energy could contribute to deep
A number of legislative, policy, economic and financial barriers remain to significant improvements in energy efficiency and increased uptake of renewable energy. Identifying policies and measures in the UNECE region that reduce these barriers can help in increasing investment and financing flows
Countries choose different pathways to meet commitments they have made under the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Climate Agreement, as national circumstances vary significantly. Analysis of the progress to date shows that much greater effort is needed, including much bolder policy commitments,
What are the interlinkages between Sustainable Development Goals on sustainable energy (SDG 7) and gender equality (SDG 5)? How can improving understanding of gender dimensions within the energy sector and promoting women’s participation in energy-related decision-making drive progress in both
As part of broad support to countries’ sustainable energy transition, a field project implemented by UNECE has introduced a cost-effective green technology-solution in rural Kyrgyzstan. A new biogas unit, launched in September 2018, delivers concrete renewable energy solutions for a rural
A recent UNECE study on mapping of energy efficiency standards in buildings has shown that there is still much room for improvement in the setting and application of such standards in the countries of the UNECE region. In many countries there are challenges both with strictness and with
Each year in Colombia the coal mining sector is responsible for more fatalities than all other sectors of the heavy industry combined. Since 2005, there were 1,129 reported emergency situations in the local mines causing 1,332 deaths. If adjusted to also include accidents associated with illegal
Why is it that Africa, which hosts some of the most abundant mineral and energy resources in the world, is not fully benefitting from this wealth?A significant share of recent new investments for mineral and energy resource exploration and development has been in Africa and this needs to
It is recognized that raw materials and energy are the backbones for sustainable development. In a world facing multiple social, climatic and environmental challenges, managing the supply of mineral and energy resources is becoming more and more complex. In this context, investors increasingly
Efficient production and supply of energy and raw material resources are vital to attaining the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Making resource development activities sustainable has emerged as a critical challenge. While the performance of
Improving energy efficiency can bring multiple economic, social and environmental benefits and is widely viewed as one of the most effective ways to accelerate progress towards the objectives of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement. Investments in energy efficiency
Kazakhstan wants renewable energy (RE) to reach 50% of its energy mix by 2050, with intermediate targets of 3% (or new 2,000 MW investment) by 2020 and 10% by 2030. Mr. Kanat Bozumbayev, Minister of Energy of Kazakhstan, pointed out yesterday that one of the main instruments to attract the
How to align resource management to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with due consideration to socio-economic, environmental and technological aspects? Emphasis needs to be on reducing the carbon and environmental footprints of the resource sectors through technological interventions