Some solar energy programmes in the United Nations system

The report outlines recent activities in the United Nations system concerning solar and wind energy applications, particularly for the benefit of developing countries. Summaries are provided of some of the main programmes undertaken in the field of solar energy by a number of agencies and bodies of the United Nations system such as: the economic and Social Council, the Department of International Economic and Social Affairs of the Secretariat; the Department of Technical Co-operation for Development and its Centre for Natural Resources, Energy and Transport; the regional commissions; the financial institutions (UNDP and World Bank); the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO); the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and the United Nations University (UNO); specialized agencies—UNESCO, FAO, WHO, WMO and ITU; the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. Some highlights are given on the future United Nations Conference on New and Renewable Sources of Energy, recently approved by the General Assembly of the United Nations.     

Bringing sustainability science to water basin management

Sustainability science studies the causes, pathways and impacts of complex development problems that result from the interaction of natural and social forces. Water availability in arid basins with rapidly growing populations presents a perfect example of a development problem that needs sustainability science to provide the scientific underpinnings for integrated management of the basin. The author (1) introduces the concept of sustainability science, (2) applies the concept to integrated water basin management, and (3) illustrates the use of sustainability science in the management of the arid Rio Grande basin on the border between Mexico and the United States.     

论公路工程施工的质量控制措施

叙述了公路工程施工质量存在的问题以及影响因素,提出,提升公路工程的质量,要从提高路基稳定性及其强度,做好施工前的准备工作、重视节点部位的防水施工以及严格进行质量检查等方面做起的控制措施。     

谈气候变化影响及对策

气候变化已成为当今最主要的全球性环境问题之一。气候变化影响弊多利少,不仅给自然环境带来明显的影响,而且对人类社会经济造成深远的影响。受影响较为直接和严重的产业部门是农业,在制定长期规划中,应把新的可能面临的气候条件因素考虑进去。应对气候变化涉及科学、经济和政治等各个方面,是一个庞大的系统工程。《联合国气候变化框架公约》和《京都议定书》为国际社会应对气候变化,建立了国际制度基本的框架。     

Sustainability policy of construction contractors: A review

Sustainability is an issue of concern in many industrial sectors. The construction industry is no exception. The study described in this paper adopts a critical qualitative approach to investigate sustainability policy practices in the construction industry. This approach includes a statement of principles, sustainability reporting incorporated within a financial report, and a stand-alone sustainability reporting system. The top international contractors listed by Engineering News Record (ENR) were examined. The results show that sustainability policy development varies from case to case in these companies but trends are emerging on common issues addressed. The findings show a trend of increasingly level of disclosure of corporation's commitmnets an achievements on sustainability. Similarly, the energy efficiency and conservation, greenhouse gas emission reduction and integration of renewable energy resources into projects are among the common themes of these sustainability policies disclosed by construction contractors. The construcion industry can learn from the energy sector that is advanced in sustainability reporting.     

Alleviating energy poverty for the world's poor

Improving energy services for poor households in developing countries remains one of the most pressing challenges facing the development community. The dependence of these households on traditional forms of energy leads to significant health impacts as well as other major disbenefits, yet there has been little progress in meeting this challenge. This viewpoint argues for an ‘energy-poverty alleviation’ fund to help provide modern energy services to these households. It also proposes an approach through which to create such a fund, namely by introducing an incremental levy on petroleum. Notably, this scheme does not need a global agreement since a levy could be introduced by major oil-exporting countries. The implementation of this mechanism would result in a climate-friendly outcome (even before taking into account the elimination of products of incomplete combustion resulting from the traditional household use of biomass-based fuels) while providing immense socio-economic benefits to the world's poor. Such an approach would allow significant progress on the sustainable development front while reducing global greenhouse gas emissions, and therefore is very much consistent with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.     

Recent developments of biofuels/bioenergy sustainability certification: A global overview

The objective of this paper is to provide a review on the latest developments on the main initiatives and approaches for the sustainability certification for biofuels and/or bioenergy. A large number of national and international initiatives lately experienced rapid development in the view of the biofuels and bioenergy targets announced in the European Union, United States and other countries worldwide. The main certification initiatives are analysed in detail, including certification schemes for crops used as feedstock for biofuels, the various initiatives in the European Union, United States and globally, to cover biofuels and/or biofuels production and use. Finally, the possible way forward for biofuel certification is discussed. Certification has the potential to influence positively direct environmental and social impact of bioenergy production. Key recommendations to ensure sustainability of biofuels/bioenergy through certification include the need of an international approach and further harmonisation, combined with additional measures for global monitoring and control. The effects of biofuels/bioenergy production on indirect land use change (ILUC) is still very uncertain; addressing the unwanted ILUC requires sustainable land use planning and adequate monitoring tools such as remote sensing, regardless of the end-use of the product.     

Implementation of village electrification projects in developing countries: The role of case

The International Centre for Application of Solar Energy (CASE) is the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation's (UNIDO) agency for the promotion of renewable energy technology in developing countries. This paper presents the role of CASE and methodology that CASE is adopting for the sustainable development of renewable energy projects for the benefit of rural communities. In addition it outlined various renewable energy options and a village electrification project model.     

A worldwide legacy: the accomplishments of Fred Stark Pearson, part two

This paper is the second part of a two-part article on the remarkable engineering achievements of Fred Stark Pearson (1861-1915) on three continents. The first part appeared in November/December 2003, touching on Pearson's early work in the United States and Canada but focusing primarily on his electric power, lighting, railway and traction project in Brazil and Mexico. This second part of the article covers Pearson's work in northern Spain and his legacy.     

Governance of the emerging bio-energy markets

Despite its promising prospects, a growing global bio-energy market may have sustainability risks as well. Governing this market with respect to installing safeguards to ensure sustainable biomass production might reduce these risks. Therefore, proposals for governance systems for bio-energy are discussed in this article. The proposals are based on comparative case study research on the governance of comparable commodities. By assessing the governance system of global coffee trade, fair trade coffee, the global and the EU sugar market and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) wood, strong and weak points of governance systems for commodities are discerned. FSC is selected as the best performing case study and serves as the proposal's basis. FSC's weaknesses are minimized by, among others, using the lessons learned from the other case studies. This results in a system consisting of two pillars, a bio-energy labelling organization (BLO) and a United Nations Agreement on Bio-energy (UNAB). Although consulted experts in the research process are critical about this system they do suggest several conditions a governance system for bio-energy should meet in order to be effective, such as a facilitative government, professional monitoring and using progressive certification combined with price premiums. These conditions have been taken into account in the final proposal.     

Analysis of the partnership network in the clean development mechanism

The clean development mechanism (CDM) is a global collaborative action proposed at the Kyoto Protocol in response to climate change issues. The CDM contributes to cost-efficient reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in industrialized countries and promotes sustainable development in developing countries. Its fundamental framework is based on partnerships between industrialized and developing countries. This study employs social network analysis to investigate the dynamics of the partnership networks observed in 3816 CDM projects registered in the database of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change over the period of 2005 to 2011. Our three main findings can be summarized as follows. First, the CDM partnership network is a small world; however, its density tends to decrease as the number of participants for a CDM project decreases. Second, the partnership networks’ leading groups tend to shift from partner countries into host countries. Third, a host country that pursues more partnership-based projects takes better control of resources and knowledge-flow in the ego-network formed around that country, and can thus better utilize global resources for its CDM projects.     

浅谈设计院海外电站EPC项目设计管理优化

设计院承接的海外电站EPC项目中,技术方案的设计优化和整个EPC过程设计管理的龙头作用,是设计院区别于其他类型总承包商的优势。为了解决海外电站EPC项目由于设计核心团队与项目管理团队脱节导致的设计价值无法体现的困境,通过分析设计院海外电站项目的问题,提出四点设计管理优化措施,即设计功能前移、提升设计在项目管理过程中的作用、加强设计/设计管理国际化和增强设计团队对项目的归属感,希望加强业主/业主工程师、设计及施工分包商之间的沟通,发挥设计的技术优势,为EPC项目创造价值,实现设计院在海外电站EPC项目中Engineering价值。     

Is teamwork the smart solution?

One of the most formidable tasks facing humanity at the moment is how to solve the problems associated with energy supply and utilization. The issues are complex, to be sure, and they're compounded by seemingly conflicting objectives involving cost, sustainability, reliability, environmental soundness, free markets, and an energy supply that is accessible to all--anytime. Because there?s special interest in enhancing the sustainability of a modern lifestyle, one approach to the problem is to use renewable resources--mainly solar and wind--to power the world economy. Some renewable resources have the added benefit of low environmental impact, especially in greenhouse gas production. There's also great interest in restructured energy and power markets that are called "free" or "liberalized" in some parts of the world and "deregulated" in the United States. The deregulation of the electric power industry in many venues has resulted in a new science and engineering of power marketing. There are complex basic challenges in solving the problems that are related to an unfettered power market that results in an environmentally sound production of electric power and also a reliable and low-cost solution.     

Acceptance of renewable energy innovation in Brazil—case study of wind energy

The paper presents some outputs of renewable energy power plants in Brazil, focusing in the case of wind energy. The information data are mainly acquired from a project developed by the authors with financial resources of Electric Energy National Agengy (ANEEL), United Nations Development Program (PNUD) and Ministry of Science and Technology (MCT). It was used as the socio environmental impacts to evaluate the acceptance aspect, using as examples some case studies implemented in Brazil and the previous experience of the authors.     

Understanding the variability of wind power costs

Wind power has a significant contribution to make in efforts to abate CO₂ emissions from global energy systems. Currently, wind power generation costs are approaching parity with costs attributed to conventional, carbon-based sources of energy but the economic advantage still rests decidedly with conventional sources. Therefore, there is an imperative to ensure that wind power projects are developed in the most economically optimal fashion. For wind power project developers, shaving a few tenths of a cent off of the kilowatts per hour cost of wind power can mean the difference between a commercially viable project and a non-starter. For civic authorities who are responsible for managing municipally supported wind power projects, optimizing the economics of such projects can attenuate stakeholder opposition. This paper attempts to contribute to a better understanding of how to economically optimise wind power projects by conflating research from the fields of energy economics, wind power engineering, aerodynamics, geography and climate science to identify critical factors that influence the economic optimization of wind power projects.     

Strengthening human resources for new and renewable energy technologies of the 21st century : UNESCO Engineering Education and Training Programme

The UNESCO Engineering Education and Training Programme is currently focusing its priorities on training of engineering students (although much of the output is suitable for advanced undergraduates) and working engineers requiring retraining or updating. To meet the needs especially for educational materials for developing countries and for distance-learning purposes, a multi-media “Learning Package” is in preparation which consists of a textbook, multi-media products and software for self-training and distance learning. It is intended to train students in the field of renewable energies with some dozen packages in preparation or for which half of the textbooks have already been published.     

Scientific basis of climate change and its response

The scientific understanding of climate change is based on a solid physical-theoretical foundation, and long-term observation and research. By analyzing the accelerated rise of the global climate and its wide-ranging effects on the risk of natural ecosystems and the social economy, and, particularly in view of the stringent targets of 1.5 degrees set by the Paris Agreement to limit global temperature rise, this study contends that climate security has become a new, non-traditional, security issue. The fundamental approach to implementing the objectives of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement is to develop clean energy vigorously and to accelerate energy transformation. Furthermore, building a global energy interconnection is emphasized as one of the solutions to promoting energy transformation.     

GHG historical contribution by sectors,sustainable development and equity

Historical contribution to climate change is useful for future commitments to the burden share based on common but differentiated responsibilities as presented by the Brazilian Proposal [UNFCCC. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change: Ad Hoc Group on the Berlin Mandate. Implementation of the Berlin Mandate: Additional proposals from Parties, Addendum, Note by the secretariat; 30 May 1997.] according to Equity principle adopted by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change [UNFCCC. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change; 1992.]. This paper presents some results of historical greenhouse gases emissions inventories (CO₂ from energy and land use change sectors, CH₄ from enteric fermentation and N₂O from animal waste manure management). It is discussed the differences among historical emissions in terms of development patterns and it is suggested some proposals for climate policy based on the concepts of equity and sustainable development.     

The policy and practice of sustainable biofuels: Between global frameworks and local heterogeneity. The case of food security in Mozambique

This study explores the relationship between different biofuel production systems, the context in which they operate, and the extent to which various types of frameworks and schemes are able to monitor and promote their sustainability. The paper refers to the European Union Renewable Energy Directive and two international certification schemes (Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels and NTA 8080/81) that can provide a ‘licence to sell’ biofuels on the EU market, and to the Mozambican policy framework for sustainable biofuels that provides a ‘licence to produce’ biomass for biofuels in Mozambique. Food security is used as a case study, and the food security impacts of two agro-industrial and two smallholder biofuel projects in Mozambique are described and analysed. The sustainability frameworks and schemes used in this study are able to address some, but not all, of the heterogeneity between and within different biofuel production systems. The emphasis is on monitoring agro-industrial projects while smallholder projects tend to slip through the net even when their negative impacts are evident. We conclude that globally applicable sustainability principles are useful, however, they should be operationalised at local or production system levels. This approach will support balancing between global frameworks and local heterogeneity.     

The future of bioenergy and rural development policies in Africa and Asia

This special issue has presented some of the specific findings of the RE-Impact Project which was commissioned and funded by the EuropeAid Cooperation Office from 2007 until its conclusion in 2010. The project aimed to provide impact assessment frameworks and influence relevant policies through direct involvement in bioenergy projects and policy analysis in South Africa, Uganda, India and China. The papers summarised here have covered issues related to Jatropha curcas and forest-based bioenergy in these countries. Taking an overall look at the project findings we can identify a number of general conclusions relevant for the future of bioenergy and rural development in Africa and Asia. First, only local and context-specific sustainability assessment can identify the risk and responsibilities of the different groups and the exact impact on the environment. Second, many initiatives both in biofuels and forest-based bioenergy are marred by a lack of understanding of the life-cycle financial analysis. Third, careful consideration of local physical and social conditions and the economics of the production chain can identify real opportunities for rural development using bioenergy. The current global impasse in bioenergy policies could actually be advantageous to the development of bioenergy in developing countries. Without the pressure from America and Europe to develop bioenergy systems for climate change mitigation, countries in Africa and Asia may have the breathing room to shape bioenergy systems for their own internal energy supply in an orderly fashion. However, in order to avoid environmental and social impacts it will be necessary to articulate together elements of a number of measures including market-based certification, national policy formulation, national legislation, impact assessments, sustainability planning, land use planning, research, monitoring and evaluation taking into account country and project specific sustainability criteria. Unfortunately, many of the countries in Africa and Asia where bioenergy can play an important role still lack institutional structures able to articulate this sustainable development.