Report - UNDP Russia

territories rated as environmental emergencyareas. More efficient combustion of coal andreduction of its negative impact on theenvironment and public health are increasinglyurgent priorities. The resurgence of coal as apower generating fuel needs to beaccompanied by introduction of new,environmentally safe technologies.The fuel & energy sector is one of themain sources of atmospheric emissions.Atmospheric pollution causes up to 40,000deaths annually among urban populations, ofwhich no less than 15-20% are theresponsibility of the fuel & energy sector. Theshare is higher in some settlements withpolluting coal-fired condensing power plants(CPPs) or combined heat & electricity plants(CHPs). Reduction of negative impact from allsegments of the energy sector (extraction,transportation, refining, and production of heatand electric energy), requires implementationof modern technologies which are alreadywidely used in developed countries.Any substantial administrativedecisions regarding expansion of the fuel &energy sector should in any case include healthhazard assessments and action plans to reducerisk to an acceptable level. Environmentallyunsound decisions on construction and/orexpansion of sector facilities could furtheraggravate living conditions and public health.Chapter 5: Energy-efficient Russia,defines Russia’s energy efficiency ratings,presents the risks, which continuous energyintensivedevelopment poses for humandevelopment and the economy, andsubstantiates the need to build an energyefficientsociety, leading Russia’s economyaway from its resource-oriented developmenttrajectory, which is turning the country into aresource appendage of the ‘green’ worldeconomy, onto the road of sustainabledevelopment based on wide implementationof clean, energy-efficient technologies. Russiahas reduced energy intensity of its GDP fasterthan most other countries, but still remainsone of the most energy-inefficient countries inthe world, since the reductions were mainlydue to structural changes and the country hasfailed to narrow its technological gap withdeveloped countries. Increasing globalcompetition and shrinking scope fordevelopment based on raw material exportsmake dramatic increase in productivity,including energy productivity, vitallyimportant for Russia’s aspirations to matchliving standards in developed countries.Russia’s potential for increasing energyefficiency is among the biggest in the world,representing almost half of the country’spresent energy consumption. This resourcecould become the main contribution of theenergy sector to future economic growth.However, there has been little progress inmaking use of this resource until recently,largely due to lack of support from the federalgovernment for energy efficiency.The Chapter contains analysis of energysaving potential and ways of realizing it in mainsectors of the national economy: housing,industrial production, energy, transportation,and heat supply.Chapter 6: Opportunities forRenewable Energy Sources looks atrenewable energy sources (‘renewables’),which are now viewed as one of the mainvectors for long-term innovative developmentof the energy sector. The global boom inrenewable technologies reflects the desire ofcountries to reduce pressure on theenvironment, but also their need to optimizestructure of energy balances, cut dependenceon exports or imports of fossil fuel, and startpreparing for the new, low-carbon, stage ofhuman and changeover to low-carboneconomies.Increased use of renewabletechnologies in Russia could create more jobs,improve living standards, and reduce migrationof rural populations and outflow of people fromnorthern and eastern territories. Developmentof renewable energy slows down10 National Human Development Report in the Russian Federation 2009