Mr. Chairman,
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,

It is my pleasure to make this contribution on behalf of Group of 77 and China to our discussion on “Energy for Sustainable Development”.

The Group of 77 & China is convinced of the importance of addressing the four thematic issues of CSD-15: Energy for Sustainable Development, industrial development, climate change and air/atmospheric pollution within the over arching framework of sustainable development and its three pillars: economic development, social development, and environmental protection.

The World Summit on Sustainable Development recognized the three overarching objectives of sustainable development as: protecting natural resources, eradicating poverty, and changing unsustainable production and consumption patterns. It is in this context, and while reaffirming the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities in protecting the environment and promoting sustainable development, that we call for policies and actions that will enable the developing countries to bridge the ever-widening gap between the rich and the poor.

Mr. Chairman,

Increasing growth and subsequent increasing energy demand is putting strains on the existing resources of developing countries. We are faced with formidable task of meeting the increasing demand for energy to achieve the goals of sustainable development. At the same time, increasing access to energy and enhanced energy efficiency are other challenges that we face.     

We emphasize the need for adequate, predictable, new and additional financial resources, technology transfer and political will, as well as commitment to innovative ways of applying energy efficient, environmentally sound, cost-effective and socially acceptable technologies and systems.

We agree with the statement in the Chairman’s negotiating text that fossil fuels will continue to play a dominant role in the energy mix in the decades to come, therefore, the development and use of advanced and cleaner fossil fuel technologies should be increased. More efforts should go into supporting the further development and dissemination of those       technologies.

At the same time, we are cognizant of the need to diversify energy supply and developing advanced, cleaner, more efficient affordable and cost-effective energy technologies, including fossil fuel technologies and renewable energy technologies, hydro included and their transfer to developing countries on concessional terms as mutually agreed. Substantial increase in the global share of renewable energy sources is an urgent imperative; with the objective of increasing it’s contribution to total energy supply, recognizing the role of national and regional voluntary targets and initiatives, where they exist. It is important to ensure that energy policies are supportive of developing countries’ efforts aimed at eradication of poverty, and that available data to review progress to this end is evaluated regularly.

Mr. Chairman,

In addition to the policy recommendations already suggested by the G-77 so far, we may submit our further proposals in the coming days. However, the Group would like to re-submit the following policy options for endorsement by CSD-15, which in our view are important to cope with the challenges faced by the world in achieving the goals of energy for sustainable development:

Firstly, access to energy is crucial to economic and social development and the eradication of poverty, it should be increased by actions inter alia, including through:

1. Integrating, for countries, which have not already done so, energy access and diversified energy policies into national sustainable development strategies, poverty reduction strategies, and national development plans.
2. Promoting, at the national level, rural electrification projects, and supporting local efforts to provide energy supplies to the basic infrastructures;
3. Supporting national actions and measures of the developing countries for the expansion of energy services in rural and remote areas in particular to the poor;
4. Combining, as appropriate within a policy flexibility, according to the varying conditions of different countries, an “energy mix” encompassing the increased use of renewable energy resources;
5. More efficient sustainable use of energy, greater reliance on advanced energy technologies, including advanced and cleaner fossil fuel technologies, as well as sustainable bio energy systems, according to the principles encompassed in the FAO International Bio-Energy Platform, taking into consideration the urgency to achieve full security and the need to reduce the number of people suffering from hunger;
6. Expand the sustainable use of renewable sources of energy, as appropriate, including hydropower, geothermal, wind, solar and other forms of renewable energy including bio-energy such as bio fuels;
7. Disaster risk reduction and building the resilience of energy related infrastructures to disasters;
8. Supporting efforts to improve the functioning, transparency and information about energy markets with respect to both supply and demand, aiming to achieve greater stability and predictability;
9. Supporting the establishment and upgrading of the infrastructure for energy transport and storage, including the establishment of pipelines from energy producing countries to the market.

Secondly, energy efficiency is a win-win solution, it should be improved by actions including through:

1. Expanding, as appropriate, sustainable production and use of sustainable bioenergy systems, with due consideration of Sustainable Forest Management Plans and Strategies;
2. Increasing the support of International Financial Institutions for improving energy efficiency in local and national electricity grids, in developing countries through reduction of electricity loses in transportation and distribution networks;
3. Strengthening, as appropriate national and regional energy efficiency programmes, and supporting investment in, and transfer of, modern energy efficiency technologies, including advanced and cleaner fossil fuel technologies, as well as sustainable bio-energy systems such as bio-fuels, to developing countries, including through innovative sources of funding;
4. Countries may voluntarily set national or regional goals for energy efficiency.

           
Thirdly, assisting developing countries is essential by enhanced international cooperation measures, including through:

1. Strengthening North-South, South-South, and triangular Cooperation, including between energy exporting and energy importing countries; aiming at assisting developing countries including through; enhancing capacity building, transfer of appropriate advanced technologies and knowledge to achieve policies related to energy, human development, and public awareness raising;
2. Increasing international support for national efforts to adopt standards and labeling for energy-efficient appliances and consumer equipments, as well as harmonization of international testing and certificating   methods;
3. Promoting investment and partnerships   for the development of sustainable, energy efficient multi-modal transportation systems aiming at providing safe affordable and efficient transportation, given the crucial role of the transportation sector in the field of energy;
4. Encouraging cooperation to achieve effective ways and means to avoid the dumping of energy wastes and inefficient products in developing countries;
5.  Enhancing the cooperation in the implementation of relevant General Assembly resolutions, relating to energy for sustainable development;
6.  Promoting networking between centers of excellence on energy for sustainable development, by linking competent centers on energy technologies that could support efforts at capacity building and technology transfer activities.

Fourthly, regional energy cooperation should be encouraged, by actions including through:

1. Increasing the engagement of countries at regional level, including through the establishment of regional/sub regional arrangements, as appropriate, to increase energy access especially in remote areas, enhance energy efficiency, capacity-building, resource mobilization, knowledge creation and sharing and local manufacture of local energy services; with international support for such regional activities;
2. Strengthening cooperation between national and regional energy institutions, on energy for sustainable development. As well as encouraging networking in research and development, including through cyber laboratories;
3. Enhancing and facilitating, as appropriate, regional cooperation in the field of interconnection of electricity grids and oil and natural gas pipelines; 
4. Fostering regional cooperation in developing renewable energy and advanced fossil fuel technologies, and encouraging regional cooperation for capacity building including through South-South, North-South and triangular cooperation.

Mr. Chairman,

Energy is crucial for sustainable development, poverty eradication and achieving the MDGs. Challenges in this field include: meeting the increasing demand on energy and avoiding gaps between needs and availability; increasing access; enhancing efficiency; strengthening capacity building; the need for adequate predictable new and additional financial resources, technology transfer and political will, as well as commitment to innovative ways of applying energy efficient, environmentally sound, cost effective and socially acceptable technologies and systems; education and awareness-raising, energy regulations and enforcement and changing unsustainable patterns of consumption and production, with developed countries taking the lead. 

It is our hope that outcome of CSD-15 will provide guidance to overcome these challenges and lead to the implementation of policy options on Energy for Sustainable Development.

I thank you.