Thursday, April 4, 2013

WWF REGIONAL ENERGY STRATEGY – ACHIEVING 100% RENEWABLE ENERGY BY 2050 IN TANZANIA


WWF ESARPO has set for the region an ambitious Vision 2050 of  ‘a future powered by 100% renewable energy to meet all human development needs in East and Southern Africa through means that ensure humans live in harmony with nature’. WWF Offices within the East and Southern Africa Regional Programme Office believe that in order to live in harmony with nature, the six nations within this region must ensure access to clean, affordable and modern energy service for all. Without this ‘vision’, countries will not create lasting benefits. The ESARPO Regional Energy Coordinator – Robert Ddamulira is confident that countries in the region can achieve such a future.
The launching of the ESARPO Energy strategy in 2013 comes in amid the current global concern and as reported in the ‘Living Planet Report of 2012 – the road to Rio+20. The demand for food, water and energy on which our lives depends, has significantly increased, and the projection from 1966 estimates that we are using about 1.5 planets to support our activities.
The WWF Regional Energy Strategy has six strategic objects relating to: 1) Policy, legal and institutional frameworks, 2) Access to energy, 3) Sustainable energy development, 4) Renewable energy solutions, 5) Financial mechanisms, and 6) Low carbon development.
Tanzania as a country within the ESARPO region, has started to some extent with initial engagement and implementation of strategic objective one and five. The biofuel project which is jointly implemented between TCO and HAKIARDHI (a land rights civil society) has resulted into a national policy dialogue towards development of a sustainable biofuels policy. 
Piloting of the sustainable charcoal production and teaming up with CAMCO as energy experts and TanCarbon for carbon financing demonstrates innovative approaches for viable financing of renewable  energy investments for both demand and supply sides. Partners like CAMCO and TaTEDO are promoting solar installations (as shown in photo 1) for the rural poor and urban dwellers who can now access renewable energy technologies that in turn support WWF’s vision on 100% renewable energy in the region. Solar technologies are picking up in the villages and can be purchased for as low as between USD $ 20
There are opportunities for further engagement between WWF TCO and national civil society organizations and other non-state actors in the renewable energy sector through relevant networks, alliances and forums. Furthermore by taking advantage of public-private-partnership approaches backed up by the government through the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism (MNRT) and Ministry of Energy and Minerals (MEM), WWF TCO sees opportunities for contributing towards the 100% renewable energy in the region come 2050

No comments:

Post a Comment