Fuel for Thought: An Environmental Strategy for the Energy Sector

Front Cover
World Bank Publications, 2000 - 118 pages
"Energy is vital to economic development. Without the fuels that power cars, trains, and planes, and without electricity, light, and heating, life in industrialized countries would be considerably less comfortable. In developing countries, it is not just a question of comfort. Poverty will not be reduced without greater use of modern forms of energy." Energy is basic to development. On the individual level, modern energy services can transform peoples' lives for the better. On the national level for developing countries, it is impossible to progress beyond a subsistence economy without ensuring at least minimum access to energy services for a broad section of the population. How to meet the increasing energy demands without damaging the environment further, however, is a matter of urgency. This volume sets out an environmental strategy for the World Bank Group in the energy sector for developing countries. The book is organized in four sections: Section 1. Sets out the challenge arising from worldwide growth in energy demand and its potential environmental impacts. Section 2. Reviews the World Bank Group's existing policies, strategy, and record. Section 3. Outlines the new strategy, which contains both existing and fresh elements. Section 4. Explains in more detail how the new elements of the strategy will be implemented.

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Page 61 - Convention, stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.
Page xiii - UNDP United Nations Development Programme UNEP United Nations Environment Programme UNFCCC United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change...
Page 61 - B and in accordance with the provisions of this article, with a view to reducing their overall emissions of such gases by at least 5 per cent below 1990 levels in the commitment period 2008 to 2012.
Page 30 - the balance of evidence suggests a discernible human influence on global climate...
Page 61 - Affirming that responses to climate change should be coordinated with social and economic development in an integrated manner with a view to avoiding adverse impacts on the latter, taking into full account the legitimate priority needs of developing countries for the achievement of sustained economic growth and the eradication of poverty...
Page 98 - Europe and Central Asia Latin America and the Caribbean Middle East and North Africa...
Page xii - IIASA International Institute of Applied Systems Analysis IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change IPP independent power producer JI Joint Implementation...
Page xii - GDP gross domestic product GEF Global Environment Facility GHG greenhouse gas GNP gross national product...
Page xii - OECD Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development OED Operations Evaluation Department (World Bank...
Page 30 - The three most important greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), methane (CH 4 ), and nitrous oxide (N 2 O).

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