Deciding the Future: Energy Policy Scenarios to 2050

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Deciding the Future: Energy Policy Scenarios to 2050 World Energy Council 2007 Recommendations
these regions, the opportunity exists for the
private sector to initiate the transfer of capability
and capacity from the developed to the
developing regions. If this does not happen, or if
it happens in an inequitable fashion, developing
country governments will have no choice but to
move into the void and take on some of the roles
normally expected of the private sector.
However, the public sector may not yet have the
capacity to assume this responsibility. In such
cases, international development agencies or
governments in the developed world can play a
significant supporting role.
Whatever the level of development, a
partnership between the public and private
sectors - within and across regions - is
essential, through which risk and reward are
apportioned. This is achieved when there is
regular and constructive dialogue and a joint
commitment to a national, regional, or even
inter-regional vision, backed by a measurable
action plan.
7.2.2. Demand-Side Mobilisation
Study participants confirmed that achievement
of the 3 A goals is an important measure of the
achievement of energy sustainability. It is also
generally accepted that acting now to achieve
the 3 A’s is less costly than doing it later, when
measured in terms of future social, economic,
and environmental costs.
While all the 3 A’s are important, it is difficult to
place equal priority on their achievement. In the
developing world, Accessibility demands priority.
People who have no access to a minimum level
of commercial energy services have little interest
in the issues of Availability and Acceptability.
Conversely, in the developed world where
access is generally no longer an issue, great
strides have been made in dealing with
Availability and attention is now focused more
on Acceptability.
Accessibility remains a major problem and
threatens global society and the environment. If
people do not have access to commercial forms
of energy, they will continue to survive by
foraging. The demand for traditional biomass is
unsustainable and environmentally debilitating
as it exceeds the rate of regeneration. Access
therefore needs continued strong focus.
Because environmental degradation knows no
political boundaries, it behooves the developed
and the developing worlds to understand the
root cause of this energy poverty spiral and to
work toward achieving universal access. While
overtly working toward the achievement of the
Accessibility goal, this will as a matter of course
also contribute significantly toward the
Acceptability goal.
Historically, governments and supply-side
private sector players drive the achievement of
the 3 A’s. Pressure has been directed at energy
supply companies to deliver access, ensure
availability, and do so in an acceptable manner.
Under this paradigm, some progress has been
made toward achieving the 3 A’s. However, if we
are to make significant progress toward these
goals over the next 50 years, then we need a
step-change in our approach. It is time for
consumers to become as actively engaged in