Intervention by the Delegation of Pakistan
Fourteenth Session of Commission on Sustainable Development
(CSD14), Regional Discussions: Asia Pacific
(May 02, 2006)
Mr. Chairman,
Renewable energy production and consumption are closely linked
with the goals of sustainable human development and eradicating poverty. In
Pakistan, the energy sector is dependent on conventional energy resources to
meet the energy requirements of major energy consuming sectors like
domestic, commercial, industrial, agricultural, transport and other
government consumption sector. Growing prices of fossil fuels has altered
psyche of the key policy makers and has pushed them to look for nonconventional
energy options in the country. This is deliberated to reduce the
increasing and over-burdening import bill of fossil fuels.
In rural areas people use conventional methods like fire wood cowdung
etc., while urban households give priority to natural gas or Liquefied
Petroleum Gas for cooking and heating and electricity for lighting and other
appliances. In the transport sector, the use of CNG is increasing very rapidly.
Pakistan is the third largest CNG user in the world. Now, about one million
cars are on CNG. All new buses and trucks will be registered only if they
use CNG technology.
Government has been keen on expanding the share of renewable
energy options for off-grid rural electrification. Electric equipment
manufactured locally often do not conform to any efficiency and safety
standards. Poor household do not have access to the capital needed for the
higher initial costs of energy-efficient equipment such as ?energy saver?
bulbs.
Mr. Chairman,
Pakistan has vast scope of generating energy from wind because of its
geographical location. Coastal areas of Pakistan are blessed with colossal
wind energy potential and most part of country receives high levels of solar
radiation. These energy resources can be successfully utilized for
electrification of remotest areas of the country. The government has
prioritized the electrification of remote villages through wind and solar
generating projects to provide cheaper electricity to the people of these
areas.
------
