PRESS RELEASE INTERNATIONAL SOLAR ENERGY SOCIETY NGO RENEWABLE ENERGY SUMMIT May 20-21, 1994 New York, USA Issues of Natural Resource Management From 20-21 May 1994 the Non Government Organisations (NGOs) from around the world met in New York to discuss issues of sustainable development and the interlinkages to renewable energy technologies. This activity was co-ordinated by the International Solar Energy Society (ISES), and sponsored by a number of organisations, such as the International Fund for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, the Norwegian Agency for Development Co-operation, the Swedish International Development Authority, United States Agency for International Development, US Department of Energy and the World Resources Institute. The NGO Renewable Energy Summit is part of the International Solar Energy Society's ISES 2000 Initiative. The main objectives of this Initiative are to: Influence the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) to more seriously address the impact of energy use within the context of the CSD agenda. Raise awareness amongst the NGO community and governments about the benefits and potentials of renewable energy technologies, and how they can operate to assist in programme delivery for national and global issues of sustainable population growth. The ISES NGO Summit drew attention to the critically important connections between renewable energy and sustainable development. In doing so, it built upon the extensive knowledge and experience which major NGOs from around the world bring to the environmental and development issues central to the CSD and Agenda 21. The issues discussed were not solely renewable energy, but also on the issues of natural resource development which impact upon energy requirements and are impacted upon by the supply of energy. Natural resources require energy to obtain and effect settlement patterns. Scarcity and inequitable distribution of natural resources hinders prospects for health and quality of life. In many of the transitional countries and in much of the developed world, the problem of 'poaching natural resources' is especially acute. Burning fossil fuels is unsustainable and contributes to climate change, which itself poses a significant threat to the natural resources of biodiversity and agriculture, and threatens to cause sea level rises which will inundate low-lying coastal areas of both small islands (such as Barbados) and continent countries (such as Bangladesh). Nations need to increase the number and scope of awareness campaigns, encourage healthier (and less 'throw-away' consumer) lifestyles, create tougher regulations, and expand information sharing and training related to the wise use of natural resources. Government programmes need to cultivate cultural pride and encourage innovation at the local level, with attention to reducing poverty, meeting social needs and conserving local natural resources (such as trees and forests) without compromising the local people's ability for self-sufficiency and self-determination. Despite rhetoric to the opposite, the Rio Climate Change Convention is without clout. Global warming issues are not yet being effectively dealt with in the international arena. Nationally, current mitigation policies for sea-level rises are inadequate. Are we to continue the global policy of action only as a 'disaster control' measure (i.e. after the event has happened), or are we going to act now to avoid loss of natural resources, further marginalisation of populations in semi-arid lands and flooding of low lying communities? Renewable energy technologies use fuel resources which are sustainable. They use the power of the sun, the strength of the wind, hydel energy from oceans and rivers, and biomass and biogas from sustainable resources. As the majority of renewable energy technologies are best suited to small, decentralised application, they do not interfere with local environments, and their construction has minimal resource requirements when compared to traditional fossil fuel and nuclear power stations. In his address to the Summit, Dr K Topfer, Minister for the Environment in Germany and new Chairperson for the CSD stated `We are separating ourselves from nature and this is always combined with intensively using energy. Rio created a new spirit of partnership in this world, but we must realise that sustainable development is first of all linked with the developed countries.' Solar energy systems are sustainable in terms of the environment and land utilisation, usually available locally and able to supply local populations with enough power to improve quality standards for the population. However, between 1980 and 1990 the World Bank invested only 1% of its funds for renewables. Commenting in the Opening Address, Christine Ervin, Assistant Secretary of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, United States Department of Energy stated ' using renewable energy is analogous to the practice of living off the Earth's interest rather than the capital.' Participating NGOs on issues of natural resource management were, Salvation Ecological Newspaper (Russia), Environmental Policy & Management (South Africa), Netherlands Committee for IUCN, Aid Watch (Australia), Worldwatch Institute (USA), Earth Savers Population Communications International (Philippines), Centre for Advanced Studies (Bangladesh), Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement (Sri Lanka), President's Council on Sustainable Development (USA) FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Jenniy Gregory, ISES, UK: Tel. 44-734-73 0073, Fax. 44-734-730820 National Section, ISES, NOTES: 1. The International Solar Energy Society (ISES) was formed in 1954, as a non-profit organisation, to provide a forum for scientific exchange in the field of solar energy. It is an accredited Non-Government Organisation (NGO) with the United Nations Economic & Social Committee (ECOSOC), and is widely regarded as the foremost global organisation promoting the development and utilization of renewable energies. ISES is now active in over 105 countries world-wide. Its membership includes eminent scientists and researchers, plus many other professionals who are active within the field of renewable energies. It also has members from industry and other private and public organisations. 2. The NGO Renewable Energy Summit was the first in a series of events which are aimed to impact upon the CSD and national governments. Through ISES's new regional offices, further conferences are planned for South Africa, Europe (Greece) and South America (Argentina). These conferences will draw from the conclusions and insights emerging from the NGO Summit in order to identify actions of regional consequence. 3. Technologies which are directly or indirectly fuelled by the sun and which minimise the consequences of energy use can provide sustainable solutions for the supply of energy in both industrialised and developing countries. Solar photovoltaic (PV) technologies have many applications world-wide, and provide an immediate and sustainable way of providing power for uses such as telecommunications, homes, hospitals and health centres in developing countries. Solar drying techniques can be used to dry fruit and vegetables. Solar stills provide fresh water. Solar cookers do not emit pollution or contribute to forest degradation. Clean solar systems can be designed to contribute to the electricity grid (such as PV architecturally integrated into buildings; large centralised solar power stations; landfill gasifiers), power electric vehicles; and provide heat for industrial and domestic applications. In all regions, solar architecture can provide comfortable buildings which are inexpensive to heat and cool and which are comfortable to live and/or work in. 4. The ISES 2000 Initiative, Initiatives of ISES & Recommendations to the CSD is available upon request. Photographs and slides of renewable energy technologies are also available. 5. ISES does not consider large scale hydro-electric power plants to be sustainable or renewable, as they take up vast amounts of land, often displace local peoples, destroy the local environment and effect ecological changes in the land around them and downstream.