UN forum launched to boost sustainable development

A UN sustainable development forum has been set up to provide “political leadership grounded in solid science”, secretary-general Ban Ki-moon said during an inauguration ceremony on Tuesday.

The high-level political forum (HLPF) has replaced the UN’s Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD), which was launched after the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, with the aim of promoting sustainable growth and a responsible use of the planet’s finite resources.

Speaking at the launch of the forum, Ban said, “This forum can be the catalyst for a strengthened global partnership for sustainable development, providing political leadership grounded in solid science.”

He added that to strengthen the efforts made towards a more sustainable future, a scientific Advisory board, which includes experts from various fields, has been created by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

UN general assembly president John Ashe said, “We have created this HLPF for the express purpose of delivering more effectively on our aspirations and agendas at a time when we realize that the practice of sustainability provides the only real bridge from our past to our present and our future, and from our planet to our peoples and our prosperity.”

Together with the French government, the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) recently organised a conference that looked into the role tourism can play in the sustainable development of small islands.

Tourism – particularly ecotourism – was in fact one of the six areas that the UN Environmental Programme (UNEP) identified as crucial to sustainable growth for emerging economies.

Further reading:

Conference calls for sustainable tourism as key factor for island development

The six industries that are crucial to sustainable economic development

PRI study: ESG factors influence countries’ economic development and sovereign debt

Kenya prepares to host major ecotourism event

http://blueandgreentomorrow.com/2013/09/26/un-forum-launched-to-boost-sustainable-development/

Kenya to generate over half of its electricity through solar power by 2016

Masinga hydroelectric power plant. Kenya gets most of its power from hydroelectricity, but there are hopes solar will contribute more. Photograph: Tony Karumba/AFP/Getty Images

Kenya has identified nine sites to build solar power plants that could provide more than half the country's electricity by 2016.

Construction of the plants, expected to cost $1.2bn (£73m), is set to begin this year and initial design stages are almost complete. The partnership between government and private companies will see the state contributing about 50% of the cost.

Cliff Owiti, a senior administrator at the Kenya Renewable EnergyAssociation, said the move will protect the environment and bring down electricity costs. "We hope that when the entire project is completed by 2016, more than 50% of Kenya's energy production will consist of solar. Already we are witnessing solar investments in Kenya such as a factory that was opened here in 2011 that manufactures solar energy panels."

He said that over $500m had already been invested in solar projects in Kenya. "The costs related with hydro electricity are very high, considering they are influenced by the low water levels in major supply dams. With high investments in solar, we will witness almost no blackouts and power charges will reduce because electricity will be in high supply."

Germano Mwabu, an economics professor at the University of Nairobi, said the solar plan could have a dramatic impact on energy prices. "When the project is complete and solar is in good use, electricity costs could go down by as much as 80%."

India installed over 1GW of grid solar in 2013

Source: PV Tech

India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has released figures revealing more than 1GW of grid-connected solar was installed last year. 

As of 31 December 2012, a total of 1.176GW had been installed and grid connected in India. Throughout the 2013 calendar year, a further 1.004GW was added, taking the cumulative total to 2.180GW. 

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As of 31 December 2012, 106MW of off grid solar had been installed cumulatively, as of 31 December 2013; the cumulative total for installed off grid solar was 144MW. 

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Despite industry concerns, and trade disputes, India is still pushing forward with ambitious solar targets. In September the ministry set the target of 10GW of solar to be installed by 2017.

Read more: http://www.pv-tech.org/news/more_than_1gw_new_solar_installed_by_india_in_2013 

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Via http://ecowatch.com/2014/01/20/india-solar-energy-gigawatt-grid/