Transcript Bio fuels and energy justice Between potentials and realities Maria Arce Moreira The Global Challenge Billions of women and men lack access to services and fundamental needs 

Bio fuels and energy
justice
Between potentials and realities
Maria Arce Moreira
The Global Challenge
Billions of women and men
lack access to services and
fundamental needs
 2.4 billion without access to
improved sanitation
2 billion people without
access to electricity
1.5 billion people in
inadequate shelter
1 billion without access to
improved water supply
50% of urban waste in
developing countries is not
collected
850 million people hungry
What does that mean for
poverty?
It is a big part of what it
means to be poor
 It is a consequence of
poverty – the result of lacking
income, land, power
 It is a cause of poverty –
reducing productivity,
increasing vulnerability, closing
options to escape poverty.
Two worlds in disconnect
Three billion people rely on firewood for cooking
2 billion people without access to electricity
Unequal energy access but
also energy use
 Electricity consumption per capita:
in the USA  13052 kW
in Vietnam  331 kW
Rural Thailand average electricity
consumption:
1st year  11-22 kW/month
after 5 years  22-50 kW/month
More energy poor in the future
Electricity Deprivation:
Africa: 526m
584m (2030)
Lacking access to clean cooking fuels:
Global: 2.5bn
2.7bn (2030)
People Relying on Traditional Biomass (million)
Source: IEA WEO (2004)
Source: IEA WEO (2006)
Can biofuels help address energy
poverty?
Biodiesel & transport for isolated Amazon communities in Peru
leseidoib ed lanasetra rodasecorp le arap ameuqsE
The Mali Folk centre Jatropha energy platform concept
http://www.malifolkecenter.org/lowersection/Dep3_NRM/jatropha/energy_plat
form/jat_energy_platform_frames.html
Ethanol clean cook stove
There is rhetorical agreement
 Access to energy is fundamental to
achieve the MDGs and overcome poverty.
 Climate change requires transformation of
the energy systems
 The livelihoods of the poor are directly
dependent on their ecosystems and the
services these offer.
Reality shows that
 UN processes have the mandate to address
sustainable development as a whole.
But:
 Who is involved, whose interests are really
represented and whose voices heard?
 Focus on specific/convenient aspects of the
issue rather than applying an integrated and
multilayered approach.
 Potentials overestimated and used to justify
biased interests.
 Market forces stronger than diplomats’ labia.
Therefore
 Articulate and incorporate poor people’s
processes and agendas in our international
work in a more structured manner.
(Nyeleni’s agenda).
 Become facilitator and strategic partner
rather than talk on behalf of.
 Open and use existing spaces at
international platforms to bring the voices of
the most affected and their organisations at
the forefront.
Can biofuels address energy access for the poor?
 There is potential to increase access under some
circumstances BUT this option needs to be
compared with other renewables that may be
more economically and environmentally
sustainable and viable.
 Although simple technologies exist there needs to
be an assessment of the affordability, capacities
to manage the system and long-term
sustainability.
 Above all there needs to be specific policies
addressing energy poverty in an integrated
manner.
Thanks for your attention