Conference on Sustainable Development, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced that more than one hundred commitments and actions have been already mobilized in support of the UN's global
sustainable energy initiative.
"Achieving sustainable energy for all is not only possible, but necessary – it is the golden thread that connects development, social inclusion and environmental protection," Secretary-General Ban said at Rio+20, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The International Energy Agency estimates that 1.3 billion people – one in five globally – lack electricity to light their homes or conduct business. Twice that number – nearly 40 per cent of the world's population – rely on wood, coal, charcoal or animal waste to cook food, resulting in toxic smoke that causes lung disease and death.
GOVERNMENTS
Among the commitments and actions agreed upon by Governments, Ghana, one of the first countries to announced said a national energy action plan to support capacity-development and innovative financing mechanisms is in place. Countries initiating or completing similar assessments include Bangladesh, Kenya, Mozambique, Nepal, Tajikistan, Uruguay and Vietnam.
Brazil said it has committed to investing a further $4.3 billion to achieve universal energy access at a national level by 2014.
PRIVATE SECTOR
Microsoft Corporation has committed to going carbon neutral and will be rolling out an internal carbon fee that will apply to Microsoft's business operations in over 100 countries.
Italian energy company Eni has earmarked approximately $5 billion to achieve its gas flaring and carbon intensity reduction goals; and, the Renault-Nissan Alliance has committed approximately $5 billion to commercialize affordable zero-emission vehicles.
Sadly, Shell is missing is this category, meaning that the ongoing gas flaring in Niger Delta is ongoing.
FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
Bank of America has set a ten year $50 billion environmental business goal, while the World Bank Group has committed to doubling the leverage of its energy portfolio by mobilizing private, donor and public contributions to World Bank-supported projects, as well as supportive policies to expand energy access, renewable energy and energy efficiency.
NGOs
Commitments and actions agreed upon by non-governmental organizations, artists, academia, and individuals.
Members of the rock band Linkin Park have launched a campaign urging world leaders at Rio+20 to end energy poverty, while India's Energy and Resources Institute has committed to expanding lighting
services to households in several developing countries, using solar and other clean energy technologies, by 2018.
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, along with 40 other professional associations, has pledged to mobilize their two million members worldwide in support of the Sustainable Energy for All initiative.
(Rewrite -Don A.O.)
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless handheld from Glo Mobile.
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