| A new United Nations report launched
last week urges investment in energy-efficient technologies
to help achieve sustainable growth and tackle a host of global
challenges from climate change to poverty reduction.
The Industrial
Development Report - the flagship publication of the
UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) - states that
industrial energy efficiency is key to sustainable development.
Sustainable energy production is also essential to overcome
the major challenges the world faces today, according to the
report, which was launched at the World
Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
“A world that has just reached a population
of seven billion must take into account industrial energy efficiency
if it wants to address such challenges as green growth, employment
generation, security, climate change, food production and poverty
reduction,” UNIDO Director-General Kandeh K. Yumkella said as
he presented the report. “Industrial energy efficiency
is essential for strengthening economies, protecting ecosystems
and achieving social benefits,” he added.
Mr. Yumkella noted that improving industrial energy efficiency
is key to sustainable industrial development worldwide - but
especially in the rapidly developing countries of the Global
South.
“It will help realise the global green economy and green
industries. Investing in energy-efficient technologies, systems,
processes, training and upgrading of skills must underpin
low-carbon green growth,” he stated.
The report is UNIDO’s main contribution to the Sustainable
Energy for All initiative launched by Secretary-General Ban
Ki-moon last year. The initiative seeks to ensure universal
access to modern energy services, double the rate of improvement
in energy efficiency and double the share of renewable energy
in the global energy mix - all by 2030.
Addressing the summit in Abu Dhabi lat week, Mr. Ban called
on governments, the private sector and civil society to help
expand energy access, improve efficiency and increase the
use of renewables to help build a “new energy future.”
The UNIDO report has a special focus on developing countries,
backed by a set of unique statistics on Manufacturing Value
Added (MVA), manufacturing export trends and other key indicators.
It states
that energy consumption could grow even faster as developing
countries reduce the income gap and grapple with growing populations
demanding more manufactured products. This makes it imperative
to remove barriers that currently impede energy efficiency investments.
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