UcuMUN Research Report
Feb 2015
Committee: United Nations General Assembly
Issue: Development and Global Implementation of Sustainable Energy Policies
Chair:Syed Haziq Masood
Co-Chair: Kiki Bouwmans
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Introduction:
Energy is something today’s society cannot live without, it is a necessary part of our existence.
Until 30 years ago, energy sustainability was thought of in terms of availability relative to the
use, but today this is not sufficient. There is a need of energy resources that are ably to supply
the world’s needs, but do not cause environmental detriment. These are currently available, and
ethical principles are increasingly likely to influence energy policies in many countries. This
mostly concerns the increased global warming, but other aspects are also very important.
Think of environmental effects, the question of waste, safety, etc. Think about the energy policy
our future generations will have to deal with.
Nuclear energy is something undoubtably connected to energy, and there are great discussions
currently held whether or not nuclear energy can have positive effects on sustainable energy.
Geopolitical questions of energy security are raised to the assessment of sustainability for
individual countries, also keeping in mind the affordability of the electricity that is produced.
Sustainable development criteria have been pushed into the front line of energy policy.
In the light of concerns about climate change due to apparent human enhancement of the
enhanced greenhouse effect, there is growing concern about how we address energy needs on
a sustainable basis.
The UN on Sustainable Energy :
Currently, there are more than three billion people, who live in developing countries, that are
relying on traditional biomass for cooking and heating.One and a half billion people are without
electricity and even when energy services are available, millions of poor people are unable to
pay for them.
Thus, there is an inextricable link between energy and sustainable development and modern,
cleaner and more efficient energy is relevant in the eradication of poverty.
Access to modern affordable energy services in developing countries is essential for the
achievement of the internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium
Development Goals, and for achieving sustainable development, which would help to reduce
poverty and to improve the conditions and standard of living for the majority of the world’s
population.
Therefore, the General Assembly of the UN emphasized the importance of investing in access
to cleaner energy technology options to achieve a climate-resilient future for all and also pointed
out the need to improve access to reliable, affordable, economically viable, socially acceptable
and environmentally sound energy services and resources for sustainable development.
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It also stressed that the wider use and exploration of available and additional cleaner, new and
renewable sources of energy require technology transfer and dispersal on a global scale,
including through North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation. It also emphasized the
need to take further action to mobilize the provision of adequate financial resources, of sufficient
quality and arriving in a timely manner, as well as the transfer of advanced technology to
developing countries and countries with economies in transition for providing efficient and wider
use of energy sources, in particular new and renewable sources of energy.
Further, it reaffirmed the importance of national policies and strategies to combine, as
appropriate, the increased use of new and renewable energy sources and low carbon emission
technologies, including cleaner fossil fuel technologies, and the sustainable use of traditional
energy services, and enhancing national capacities to meet the growing energy demand, as
appropriate, supported by international cooperation in this field and by the promotion of the
development and dissemination of appropriate, affordable and sustainable energy technologies,
as well as the transfer of such technologies on mutually agreed terms.
With leadership from UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, UN-Energy – a coordinating group of
20 UN agencies – is undertaking a new global initiative, Sustainable Energy for All.
This initiative will engage governments, the private sector, and civil society partners globally to
achieve three major goals by 2030:
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Ensure universal access to modern energy services
Reduce global energy intensity by 40 per cent.
Increase renewable energy use globally to 30 per cent.
Definition of Key Terms:
Sustainability: Sustainability is based on a simple principle: Everything that we need for our
survival and well-being depends, either directly or indirectly, on our natural environment.
Sustainability creates and maintains the conditions under which humans and nature can exist in
productive harmony, that permit fulfilling the social, economic and other requirements of present
and future generations.
Development: With respect to this committee, this refers to the buildup and maintenance of
sustainable energy policies.
Global Implementation: With respect to this committee, this means wide scale implementation of
consistent sustainability energy policies in as many countries as physically and monetarily
possible.
Resolutions and Treaties:
Resolutions
- A/RES/63/210 - Reliable and stable transit of energy and its role in ensuring sustainable
development and international cooperation
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A/RES/67/263 - Reliable and stable transit of energy and its role in ensuring sustainable
development and international cooperation
A/RES/65/151 ─ United Nations General Assembly Resolution declaring 2012 the
International Year of Sustainable Energy for All
Treaties
- Treaty of Lisbon: It consists of amendments to the Union’s two main treaties, Treaty on
European Union (TEU) and Treaty establishing the European Community (TEC), with
the latter being renamed as Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).
Sustainable energy: Title XXI with article 194 in the consolidated TFEU, title XX with
article 176A in the Lisbon Treaty
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Statute of the International Renewable Energy Agency
Major Countries Organizations Involved:
1. Switzerland
Energy mix (electricity generation): 55.5% hydroelectric, 38.9% nuclear, 4% other
renewables, 1.6% conventional thermal
The good: Exceptional in all three categories. Low fossil fuel use for electricity. Energy equity is
best in the world.
The bad: Imports about half of all energy.
WEC outlook: "To achieve the transition to a low-carbon energy system in the long term, in the
short term Switzerland is likely to become more dependent on gas-fired electricity generation."
2. Denmark
Energy mix: 64.7% conventional thermal; 35.3% other renewables; 0.1% hydroelectric
The good: Moves up three places from last year. Continues to move toward goal of 100%
renewables in energy and transportation sectors by 2050.
The bad: Energy equity is the country's biggest struggle, but improving.
WEC outlook: "Despite a decline in oil stocks, continued efforts to further diversify the
electricity generation portfolio leave the country in a strong position to meet future energy
demand."
3. Sweden
Energy mix: 45.5% hydroelectric, 38% nuclear, 11.7% other renewables, 4.8% conventional
thermal
The good: Low fossil fuel use. High percentage from low and no-carbon sources.
The bad: Increasing energy consumption offsetting energy diversity. Transportation sector very
reliant on fossil fuels.
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WEC outlook: "Policymakers need to focus on finding a solution to replace the existing 10
nuclear reactors that will be taken out of operation gradually to meet the future electricity
demand."
4. Austria
Energy mix: 57.4% hydroelectric, 31.7% conventional thermal, 10.9% other renewables
The good: Renewable energy production has doubled since 1980. Energy independence is
increasing.
The bad: Energy consumption growth rate outpacing economic growth. CO2 emissions growing
after large drop in 2012.
WEC outlook: "Policy developments in Austria and targets for 2020 are compatible and in line
with EU policy."
5. United Kingdom
Energy mix: 76.5% conventional thermal, 15.8% nuclear, 6.7% other renewables, 1%
hydroelectric
The good: High marks in all three categories. Energy consumption growth rate is falling.
The bad: Very high fossil fuel use. Energy production is declining.
WEC outlook: "The UK remains a ‘Pack Leader’ and continues to balance the energy trilemma
very well, with excellent performance on all three energy dimensions."
6. Canada
Energy mix: 58.9% hydroelectric, 23.4% conventional thermal, 14.6% nuclear, 3.1% other
renewables
The good: Rose four spots from last year. Strong energy security as a top energy exporter.
Strong diversification away from fossil fuels.
The bad: Poor environmental performance with many energy-intensive resource development
industries.
WEC outlook: "The two main challenges Canada faces are: 1) balancing resource
development with environmental protection; and 2) developing diverse markets for Canada’s
energy resources."
7. Norway
Energy mix: 95% hydroelectric, 3.9% conventional thermal, 1.1% other renewables
The good: Low reliance on fossil fuels.
The bad: Low energy diversity. Weak energy security.
8. New Zealand
Energy mix: 55.9% hydroelectric, 25.6% conventional thermal, 18.6% other renewables
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The good: Economic growth rate outpacing energy consumption growth rate. Increased
domestic energy production.
The bad: Increasing gasoline and electricity prices making energy less equitable.
WEC outlook: "New Zealand is well-positioned in the Index. It could yet see further
improvements due to its progressively improving macroeconomic position, and its strong
potential to increase renewable energy sources in electricity and heat generation, thereby
lowering CO2 emissions and improving environmental sustainability performance without the
need for subsidies."
9. Spain
Energy mix: 45.6% conventional thermal, 20.5% nuclear, 19.4% other renewables, 14.5%
hydroelectric
The good: Diversified energy portfolio. Large energy mix from low and no-carbon sources.
Reasonably priced energy.
The bad: Large energy importer.
WEC outlook: "Policymakers need to continue focusing on several challenges such as the
need for a higher electricity interconnection power grid capacity with other European member
states, its ageing nuclear system, and the upcoming rises in the cost of electricity related to
Spain’s tariff deficit reduction objective."
10. France
Energy mix: 75.5% nuclear, 11.4% hydroelectric, 9.7% conventional thermal, 3.3% other
renewables
The good: Low fossil fuel use. Improved energy diversity.
The bad: Increased energy consumption growth rate
WEC outlook: "The three sides of the energy trilemma remain relatively well-balanced in
France, although energy security lags slightly behind."
History and Timeline of Major Events:
Fossil fuels have been an essential source of energy since humans first discovered coal. From
Neolithic times to the eighteenth century, humans made only minor improvements to coal and
wood-burning technology. The steam engines of the 1700s were the first machines to use fossil
fuels to power mechanical processes.
By 1802, cities in Europe were using natural gas to operate street lamps and to create
electricity. The first company in England to sell coal-gas for lighting was founded in 1806. In
1816, a coal-gas electric company was established in Baltimore Maryland.
In 1823, inventor Samuel Brown created an internal combustion engine and demonstrated the
potential of fossil fuels to power vehicles. By the 1830s, steam ships and passenger
locomotives increased the demand for fossil fuels while increasing the transport and trade of
fossil fuel products.
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In the late 1830s, scientists discovered photovoltaic compounds, which release energy when
exposed to light. This discovery eventually led to the development of solar cells and solar
power. In 1839, William Robert Grove invented the first hydrogen fuel cell, which harnessed
electricity from the reaction between hydrogen and oxygen.
In the 1850s, commercial oil drilling began in Titusville, Pennsylvania; by the next decade, the
global export of petroleum had begun. Soon after, automobiles began using combustion
engines, creating additional demand for fossil fuels.
During the 1860s and 1870s, when “peak coal” fears swept across Europe, many people
thought that civilization itself could be extinguished. Scientists and engineers insisted that solar
energy could extend the industrial revolution indefinitely after coal ran out. (Similar ideas about
sustainability are found throughout the history of the industrial revolution.)
In the late 1880s, hydroelectric power first became commercially available in the United States,
and solar power was discovered in Europe. Governments established the first energy
departments shortly before the turn of the century.
In 1908, the first Iranian oil well was drilled. The Middle East would soon become one of the
world's leading sources for fossil fuels. In the next decade, the U.S. government created energy
legislation to prevent monopolies and to develop utility power as a public trust.
Over the next decade, the United States suffered oil shortages, and rationing was established in
some states. The U.S. reorganized its energy policies during the 1970s and established
commissions to regulate nuclear energy and develop alternative energy sources.
Within a few decades, the dependence on liquid fuels like kerosene and gasoline led to a very
similar reaction from a different group of inventors and engineers. Once again, the “peak” of a
fossil energy reserve was in question. Although today we’re familiar with “peak oil” fears, the
same concerns surfaced throughout the 20th century.
As a result, testing and racing of various fuel types was common at the dawn of the automotive
age. William K. Vanderbilt preferred alcohol fuel (ethanol) when he raced between 1904 and
1910 because — despite its somewhat lower BTU value — ethanol had higher octane and could
run a lighter, more powerful engine.
The limitations of making ethanol from food crops were well appreciated even since the 1920s,
and the idea that cellulose would be the foundation for replacing petroleum was championed by
Henry Ford, Isaac Asimov, and even, 90 years ago, by the scientist who founded the Cellulose
Chemistry division of the American Chemical Society – Harold Hibbert.
“It looks as if in the rather near future, this country will be under the necessity of paying out vast
sums yearly in order to obtain supplies of crude oil from Mexico, Russia and Persia,” Hibbert
said in a 1921 scientific journal article. “It is believed, however, that the chemist is capable of
solving this difficult problem…. (and) it would seem that cellulose in one form or another is
capable of filling that role.”
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In 1925, Henry Ford told reporters: “The fuel of the future is going to come from fruit like that
sumac out by the road, or from apples, weeds, sawdust — almost anything.” Ford’s optimism
about cellulosic biofuels was unusual for the auto, oil and chemical industries, which had all
placed their bets on leaded gasoline and foreign oil.
The first nuclear reactor project aimed at energy production was initiated in Brookhaven, New
York in 1947. At the same time, political tensions between the United States and Middle Eastern
countries threatened the U.S. supply of oil.
During the 1940s and 1950s, environmental concerns about fossil fuel usage became more
pronounced as smog produced by the burning of these fuels in Europe and America was
blamed for illness and death among humans.
The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) was formed in 1960. The ArabIsraeli War began in 1967, and soon after the Arab states announced an oil embargo against
the United States and the United Kingdom for their support of Israel in the conflict.
In 1970, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was established. Damage to natural
areas as a result of energy harvesting was one of the first issues addressed by the agency. In
1976, Congress authorized a committee to examine the potential for the development of electric
vehicles, with the goal of reducing dependence on fossil fuels.
In 1979, further military and political disturbances in Iran prompted a campaign to reduce
American dependence on foreign oil. As demand for foreign petroleum products fell, OPEC cut
oil prices, and diplomacy with Middle Eastern nations helped to reestablish the supply of
imported oil for the United States and Europe. Government support for the development of
electric-powered vehicles declined.
Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990 caused a rise in oil prices. The intervention of the United
States and other nations in the conflict was viewed by some as an effort to protect the region's
supply of fossil fuels
Another challenge to established energy technologies came in the form of wind power.
Windmills had been a fixture in the European and American landscape for centuries.
Wind power for electricity is a fascinating story, one told through the experience of the Jacobs
brothers and many others who saw wind power challenging the utility monopoliies. The problem
of how to match steady demand with intermittent supply was a preoccupation, and one British
scientist, J.B.S. Haldane, suggested in 1924 that they could cover the British landscape with
windmills generating both electricity and hydrogen from electrolysis of water when demand was
low.
US public opinion polls of the late 20th and early 21st century show a consistently strong
preference for renewable energy. Yet when the benefits of the energy technology accrue to its
feudal lords, and the risks are borne by the public, is it any wonder that the feudal lords insist
that only traditional coal, oil and nuclear technology is feasible?
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In the 2000’s, European power companies find they can make extra money in Europe by
“conditioning” and managing intermittent energy streams. In the US, utilities are still claiming it’s
not possible.
2012 was declared by the UN as the year of sustainable energy for all, and this still is topic of
high importance on the UN agenda.
Questions a Resolution Must Answer
1. Define what are sustainable energy policies?
2. What are the current problems in developing these policies?
3. Who are the major stakeholders?
4. What happens if these policies are not implemented?
5. Can we standardize these policies?
6. How can we implement these policies on a global level?
7. Is it monetarily and geographically possible for countries to go green?
8. What role can UN take in developing and implementing these policies?
9. How can governments help in eradicating malpractices?
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