The six major energy-using countries of East Asia could stabilize their greenhouse gas emissions by 2025 without compromising growth, a new World Bank report has found. The report, "Winds of Change: East Asia’s Sustainable Energy Future", says major investments in energy efficiency and a concerted switch to renewable sources of power in China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam could simultaneously stabilize greenhouse gas emissions and increase energy security while improving local environments.
The six major energy-using countries of East Asia could stabilize their greenhouse gas emissions by 2025 without compromising growth, a new World Bank report has found. The report, "Winds of Change: East Asia’s Sustainable Energy Future", says major investments in energy efficiency and a concerted switch to renewable sources of power in China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam could simultaneously stabilize greenhouse gas emissions and increase energy security while improving local environments.
According to the report, a 10-fold increase in GDP in East Asia in the last three decades has led to a tripling of energy consumption which is expected to double again in the next two decades as the urban population increases by 50 per cent and industrialization of the region continues.
The studies developed two scenarios in which development continues according to current government policies and an alternative, low carbon growth path. Under the alternative Sustainable Energy Development path, the report says renewable energy (including hydro, wind, biomass, geothermal, and solar) can meet a significant proportion of the region’s power needs by 2030.
The report estimates that to reach a sustainable energy growth path, the region needs a net additional investment of US$80 billion per year – a figure it describes as a “major hurdle”.
The report is attached below.
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