Category: Energy Resources

The use of conventional energy sources, typically fossil-fuel hydrocarbons, primarily coal, oil and natural gas, have caused gradual degradation in environment and climate because of the emission of pollutants, including toxic compounds, greenhouse and acidic gases. Unilateral use of natural minerals and fossil fuel as energy sources, and the increasing competition on such limited resources have introduced large uncertainties and constrains in the energy sector, especially with the existing reality of “oil-peak”. In some part of the world, vegetation and woods from forests are also used for household needs, e.g. heating and cooking, which have caused gradual expansion of deserts and Sahara with associated negative impacts on groundwater and surface-water hydrology. Nuclear power remains to be important as it produces about 15% of world’s electricity. However, the access of such high-tech in developing countries is very limited compared to developed countries, e.g. EU, South Korea, Japan, US, Russia and Canada. Also, the fear from nuclear accidents and disasters, e.g. Fukushima in Japan and Chernobyl in Ukraine, and non-peaceful use of nuclear power poses further limitations on the expansion of nuclear power technology. Natural uranium, used in nuclear power plants, is also a limited resource. Hazard from nuclear accidents, disasters and uranium mining as well as nuclear waste remains to be of major environmental threats.

Hydropower, which is among renewable energy sources, is projected to grow considerably in China, Asia and Africa. Because of the coupling between water and energy resources “water-energy nexus” and there mutual impacts on the national and regional socio-economic developments and associated trans-boundary conflicts many issues have to be carefully assessed and resolved on continuous bases. Other sources of renewable energy, e.g. wind, solar and bio-energy, are becoming more and more popular and attractive on the global scale because of their environment-friendly nature and the flexibility they offer to individual users and small-scale stakeholder applications.

Increase of food prices cause accelerating threats on households in the MENA region.

The Middle East and North Africa “MENA” are important parts of the global food market. Food security and higher food prices are thought to be major factors in the region’s recent unrest. The MENA region is the largest wheat importer in the world, and wheat prices have doubled since 2005. With substantial and sustained increases in international prices of foods, coupled with a fast-growing domestic food demand, some MENA countries are facing growing fiscal and inflationary pressures. Most interesting, in all MENA countries, a decline in global food prices barely translates into a reduction in domestic food prices. What data shows us is that countries could reduce food price pressures considerably by tackling domestic issues, improving the targeting of subsidies and other food consumption and production policies.

http://menablog.worldbank.org/how-exposed-are-mena-households-global-food-price-increases

IKEA enters cooperation with Hanergy

IKEA, world famous for its economic and practical furniture and household products, has introduced solar panels among its furniture and household products. Through cooperation with the Hong Kong Chinese based Hanergy, IKEA will be actively engaged in the ongoing global transformation to the sustainable use and production of renewable energy sources.

http://www.4-traders.com/news/IKEA-to-sell-solar-panels-from-all-UK-stores–17306513/

The Millennium Development Goals of the United Nations in Africa.

The eight millennium development goals of the United Nations in Africa for 2015 involve help that can be of great value for building sustainable public services and public infrastructures for counteracting poverty, improve health, education, environment, gender conditions as well as global partnership developments. Public services and public infrastructures are essential underlaying components for any sustainable socio-economic developments in modern societies. Management of public service and infrastructures on large-scale and long-term bases is IMPERATIVE for political stability and they are typically funded through taxation and governmental resources. Further information on the UN Millennium Development Goals in Africa are given at:
http://www.undp.org/content/sierraleone/en/home/mdgoverview/

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Strategic issues about African Energy and related information on all forms of energy, including renewables, can be followed at: http://www.africa-energy.com/

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