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National High School Model United Nations 2015 HLPF TOPIC B: ACCESS TO MODERN ENERGY IN LDCS INTRODUCTION Over the past 40 years the international community has engaged in several efforts to ensure sustainable development for all. But despite the world’s commitment to development, there are particular challenges that still hinder the process towards sustainability. One of the most pressing challenges nowadays is achieving global access to Modern Energy (ME), since 1.4 billion people have no access to electricity and 3 billion others still rely on solid fuels to supply their basic needs. 123 This matter particularly hinders global sustainable development because it negatively impacts the environment, public health, economic productivity, and business sustainability. 124 ME means providing sustainable sources of clean, reliable, and affordable energy for basic cooking, heating, lighting, communications, and mechanical power necessities in the forms of electricity, gas, and power. 125 Access to this type of energy is crucial because its effects are transformational. Providing adequate energy sources for cooking, heating, refrigerating, lighting, and communicating will facilitate the operation of businesses, schools, health clinics, and sanitation facilities. Consequently this will generate more income and opportunities, which lead to development. 126 Although minimal energy access is an issue that affects multiple regions, it is particularly acute in the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) because of their additional economic and developmental vulnerabilities. 127 Therefore, the particular conditions of the LDCs and the pressing need of effectively addressing their hindered development falls under the mandate of the newly established High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF). Furthermore, the United Nations has named the topic as a top political priority by declaring the decade of 2014-2024 the UN Decade of Sustainable Energy for All, which focuses on renewability, accessibility, and efficiency. 128 This initiative states that global modern energy access is possible by 2030 and will yield benefits beyond those for the environment. Specifically, it will improve people’s health and agricultural productivity. It will also empower women, create business and employment opportunities, and enable individuals to lead more productive lives. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 123 Sustainable Energy for All – A Global Action Agenda (New York: High-Level Group on Sustainable Energy, 2012), accessed 22 April 2014, http://www.se4all.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/SEFA-Action-Agenda-Final.pdf. 124 Ibid. 125 Energy for a Sustainable Future (New York: AGECC, 2010), accessed 22 May 2014, http://www.un.org/wcm/webdav/site/climatechange/shared/Documents/AGECC%20summary%20report%5B1%5 D.pdf. 126 Sustainable Energy for All – A Global Action Agenda. 127“Energy Access,” UN-Energy Knowledge Network, accessed 22 May 2014, http://www.unenergy.org/cluster/energy_access; “United Nations Decade of Sustainable Energy for All (UN-SE4ALL 2014 -2024) begins with Asia Regional Launch,” Sustainable Energy For All, last modified 5 February 2014, http://www.se4all.org/2014/02/05/united-nations-decade-sustainable-energy-un-se4all-2014-2024-begins-asia-regionallaunch/. 128 A/RES/67/215, “Promotion of New and Renewable Sources of Energy,” 20 March 2013, accessed 22 May 2014, http://www.se4all.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/GA-resolution-A-67-215-SE4ALL-DECADE.pdf; Sustainable Energy for All – A Global Action Agenda. - 27 -
National High School Model United Nations 2015 HLPF This topic allows for an appealing discussion for delegates, with a broad range of perspectives regarding the best ways to ensure sustainable development through the accessibility of ME in the LDCs. This paper will analyze the main aspects of access to modern energy, the LDCs’ particular burdens, modern energy solutions, and the current developments of the topic. HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION OF THE ISSUE Modern Energy (ME) To understand properly what ME can do for the LDCs, it is vital to know what ME is. ME is defined as the provision of sustainable sources of clean, reliable and affordable energy for the purposes listed above. 129 These sources include electricity, improved fuels and gas, and other alternative sources of power like solar, hydro, and wind energy. Therefore, access to energy affects every aspect of our lives. A life without access to any source of energy “is a life of drudgery.” 130 When people lack access to energy their efforts to earn a living, go to school, cook, and communicate are more laborious and distressing than is necessary. For instance, stay-at-home mothers and wives who lack electricity and natural gas for their stoves must restrict their tasks to daylight and spend considerable time collecting wood and charcoal to utilize their cooking stoves and fireplaces. This is not only inefficient, but also dangerous. Rosa, a housewife in Kenya, explained “getting energy for cooking and lighting is a daily worry.” 131 Her situation is so critical that she only cooks for her family once a day, in the evening. After the fire and the food are gone, they have to go to bed since there is no lighting or power. 132 There are many people living across the LDCs that find themselves in similar circumstances, if not worse, to Rosa’s. The time people spend collecting wood could be spent working, studying, learning, raising children, and cooking more efficiently. 133 Having light after sunset enables people to be productive at night, a luxury those in LDCs rarely see. In sum, having modern energy enables people to have the basic conditions necessary to lead a productive and fulfilling life, opening many doors for development. In addition, it is important to note the positive impact on the environment and these individuals’ health. Not relying on wood and other solid fuels like biomass and charcoal to cook would reduce the toll on trees and the environment. 134 Moreover, it would reduce the in-house pollution and smoke produced by wood cook-stoves and oil lamps, saving lives and improving health. 135 Mamdhur in Nepal says that getting electric lighting in his village was a significant relief. 136 He has more time to !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 129 Energy for a Sustainable Future. 130 Poor People’s Energy Outlook 2013 - Energy for Community Services (Rugby: Practical Action Publishing, 2013), accessed 26 July 2014, http://cdn1.practicalaction.org/5/1/513f47d0-1950-4f85-a40f-191d0ae4f5bb.pdf. 131 “Poor People’s Energy Outlook 2014 - Energy Access -Practical Action,” accessed 18 August 2014, http://practicalaction.org/ppeo2014. 132 Ibid. 133“Total Energy Access,” PracticalAction.org, accessed 23 July 2014, http://practicalaction.org/totalenergyaccess. 134 Ibid. 135 Ibid. 136 “Poor People’s Energy Outlook 2010 | Energy Access | Practical Action,” accessed 18 Aug 2014, http://practicalaction.org/poor-peoples-energy-outlook-2010. - 28 -
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