Agenda 21

Agenda 21 is founded on the principle that integration of environmental and developmental concerns and greater attention to them will lead to the fulfilment of basic needs, and improved living standards for all, better protected and managed ecosystems and a safer, more prosperous future.

The objectives envisaged in this section of Agenda 21 should reflect the need for equity, adequate energy supplies and increasing energy consumption in developing countries and should take into account the situation of countries that are highly dependent on income generated from the production, processing and export, and/or consumption of fossil fuels and that have serious difficulties in switching to alternative sources of energy, and the situation of countries highly vulnerable to adverse effects of climate change.

To promote the growth of new and renewable sources of energy (NRSE) several strategies have been formulated, proposed and reiterated in Agenda 21at the IX session of the CSD, to be jointly undertaken by governments, local institutions, NGOs, the private sector and the international community. Briefly, these strategies include the following.

- Identify NRSE suited to the particular circumstances in individual developing countries, develop and implement policies and address existing constraints to increasing their growth. Develop and implement measures to make renewable technologies more affordable.
- Create conditions for the participation of the private sector in the development of NRSE.
- Promote and strengthen research, development, demonstration and institutional capacities.
- Encourage education and awareness raising programmes at the local national, sub-regional and regional levels and strengthen information networks, compilation and dissemination systems concerning NRSE.
- Strengthen financial support to developing countries for the promotion of renewable energy as well as transfer of advanced NRSE technologies and practices. Coordinate energy plans regionally and sub-regionally, where applicable and study the feasibility of efficient distribution of environmentally-sound energy from NRSE.

Following are some of the relevant documents which detail the Agenda 21, it’s implementation strategies, achievements, and future perspectives.

Energy Indicators for Sustainable Development: Guidelines and Methodologies IAEA, 2005, International Atomic Energy Agency
http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1222_web.pdf
No set of energy indicators can be final and definitive. To be useful, indicators must evolve over time to fit country-specific conditions, priorities and capabilities. The purpose of this publication is to present one set of EISD (energy indicators for sustainable development) for consideration and use, particularly at the national level, and to serve as a starting point in the development of a more comprehensive and universally accepted set of energy indicators relevant to sustainable development. It is hoped that countries will use the EISD to assess their energy systems and to track their progress towards nationally defined sustainable development goals and objectives. It is also hoped that users of the information presented in this publication will contribute to refinements of energy indicators for sustainable development by adding their own unique perspectives to what is presented herein. The thematic framework, guidelines, methodology sheets and energy indicators set out in this publication reflect the expertise of these various agencies, recognized worldwide as leaders in energy and environmental statistics and analysis.

Implementation of Agenda 21, the programme for the further Implementation of Agenda 21 and the outcomes of the World Summit on Sustainable Development
United Nations, 2005
http://daccessdds.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N05/463/37/PDF/N0546337.pdf?OpenElement
The report contains a summary of the outcome of the work of the Commission on Sustainable Development at its policy session and a brief evaluation of the activities at the regional and country levels of the first two-year cycle of the Commission’s multi-year programme of work. The report also reports on the progress made in advancing partnerships for sustainable development and in further integrating major groups into the work of the Commission on Sustainable Development. The report recommends that Governments, organizations of the United Nations system and major groups continue to support the Commission on Sustainable Development, its ongoing reform and its work aimed at expediting progress in the implementation of its mandate.

Action Plan for the Global Proliferation of Renewable Energy
World Council for Renewable Energy, 2002, Hermann Scheer
www.world-council-for-renewable-energy.org/ downloads/actionplan.pdf
Considering the immense importance of energy supply for all societies and the focus on Renewable Energies the message that can be given to the peoples of the world is the general limitation of energy consumption is not the central concern, but the consistent reduction of limited and environmentally destructive atomic and fossil energy consumption - to the point of being able to do completely without them in the long run. Economic growth without counter productive environmental damages is possible, if renewable energies satisfy the energy demand. This is the basic requirement for the creation of sustainable economies. Therefore, the central concern is a change of paradigm from the fossil and nuclear dependent world economy to a new economy based on renewable energy. Based on these considerations, the World Council for Renewable Energy has put forward several recommendations.

Final report of G8 Renewable Energy Task Force, 2001
http://www.g7.utoronto.ca/meetings-official/g8renewables_report.pdf
Renewable energy resources can sharply reduce local, regional, and global environmental impacts as well as energy security risks, and they can, in some circumstances, lower costs for consumers. Renewable energy technologies are often the lowest cost option for providing household- and village-scale power in rural areas of developing countries, and are increasingly competitive in certain on-grid conditions. Yet, creation of widespread commercial renewable energy markets faces significant challenges mobilising private capital; developing and aggregating dispersed markets; extending financial services down to the retail level; building business and maintenance infrastructure; and scaling up manufacturing. Together, actions taken to overcome these barriers will drive down costs and further increase market size. The Task Force has put forward some recommendations based on the findings.

Energy and Agenda 21: programme for the further implementation of Agenda 21
(Adopted by the Special Session of the UN General Assembly 23-27 June 1997)
http://www.gdrc.org/uem/energy/energy-agenda21.html
Energy is essential to economic and social development and improved quality of life. However, sustainable patterns of production, distribution and use of energy are crucial. Fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas) will continue to dominate the energy supply situation for many years to come in most developed and developing countries. What is required then is to reduce the environmental impact of their continued development, and to reduce local health hazards and environmental pollution through enhanced international cooperation notably in the provision of concessional finance for capacity development and transfer of the relevant technology, and through appropriatenational action. This report highlights all relevant issues, strategies and recommendations taken on the meeting on Agenda 21.

Agenda 21
(United Nations Conference on Environment & Development, Rio de Janerio, Brazil, 3 to 14 June 1992)
http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/documents/agenda21/english/Agenda21.pdf
The document alongwith the Table of Contents in PDF and HTML format is available for further reading.

Local Agenda 21 and renewable Energy
http://www.dti.gov.uk/renewables/publications/pdfs/kbd00179.pdf
This report is a compilation of research study commissioned by the Energy Technology Support, UK as part of te Department of Trade and Industry’s New and Renewable Energy programme. The study was undertaken during the period August 1998 to February 2000.

Renewable sources of energy and Agenda 21
TERI, 2000, Report No. 2000RD42
New and renewable sources of energy are central to Agenda 21. This report examines the convergence between initiatives taken in India and the objectives set out in Agenda 21 towards the promotion of new and renewable sources of energy. Highlighting the organizational structure of the sector in India, this report discussed on the various strategies proposed in Agenda 21 to promote the growth of NRSE. The report also evaluates policies, programmes and other initiatives taken by the government to highlight achievements and concerns in the sector, vis-a vis the goals set out in Agenda 21. Finally, directions and strategies are proposed that will go towards realizing the goals set out at the Earth Summit.