{"id":181339,"date":"2022-04-26T21:06:34","date_gmt":"2022-04-26T15:36:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.forumias.com\/?p=181339"},"modified":"2022-04-26T21:06:34","modified_gmt":"2022-04-26T15:36:34","slug":"the-goal-of-an-energy-secure-south-asia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/the-goal-of-an-energy-secure-south-asia\/","title":{"rendered":"The goal of an energy-secure South Asia\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Context:<\/span><\/b> The electricity generation in South Asia has risen exponentially. Recently, Bhutan, the Maldives, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have achieved 100% electrification in the last two years. <\/span><\/p>\n

However, the status of electrification in India, Afghanistan, and Pakistan is 94.4%, 97.7% and 73.91% respectively.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What are the divergences in the electricity policies of South Asian countries?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h5>\n

There are geographical differences between these countries. They call for a different approach depending on resources.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

India relies heavily on coal (55% of its electricity production), Nepal relies on hydropower (99.9%), Bangladesh relies on natural gas (75%), and Sri Lanka relies on oil.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What is the importance of electrification, especially with reference to the SDGs?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h5>\n

It leads to economic growth. <\/span><\/p>\n

–<\/strong> For example, a 0.46% increase in energy consumption leads to a 1% increase in GDP per capita. <\/span><\/p>\n

Electrification based on <\/span>renewable ener<\/span><\/b>gy<\/strong> can lead to the achievement of the <\/span>Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) <\/span><\/b>by all the countries. For example, Bangladesh electrification story justifies various SDGs<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It promotes <\/span>SDG 7 <\/span><\/b>(Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all). <\/span><\/p>\n

It also promotes <\/span>SDG 5<\/span><\/b> (achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls\u201d). For example, Bangladesh is achieving it by engaging more than 1,00,000 female as <\/span>solar entrepreneurs<\/span><\/b>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It can help secure <\/span>SDG 9 (<\/span><\/b>build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation). For example, India\u2019s INDCs pledge.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It fulfils <\/span>SDG 4, <\/span><\/b>or \u201censure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. This is done by increasing access to online education through energy.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It fulfils<\/span> SDG 1 (no poverty\u201d)<\/span><\/b> as more people will be employed. <\/span><\/p>\n

Also, fulfilling SDG 3<\/strong> (ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages\u201d) by increasing access to <\/span>tech-based health solutions.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What are the challenges in fulfilment of the objectives?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h5>\n

The electricity generation, transmission, distribution, rural electrification, research and development, environmental issues, energy conservation and human resource training are the areas of concern.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

South Asia\u2019s regional geopolitics<\/span><\/b> is determined by the conflation of identity, politics, and international borders. These problems may thwart transnational energy projects.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Pakistan is still struggling to reduce power shortage negatively impacting its economy.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The <\/span>electricity pricing<\/span><\/b> varies from country to country in South Asia. For example, Bhutan has the cheapest electricity price while India has the highest.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What measures need to be taken?<\/span><\/b><\/h5>\n

Regional cooperation is required. For example, the <\/span>first-ever Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)<\/span><\/b> benefits such as poverty reduction, energy efficiency and improved quality of life were realised when there was India-Bhutan hydro trade in 2010.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The SAARC regional energy cooperation framework in 2014 should be revived. In fact, India hosts the <\/span>International Solar Alliance (ISA)<\/span><\/b>. The region is moving towards green growth and energy.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Other bilateral and multilateral energy trade agreements such as the <\/span>India-Nepal petroleum pipeline deal<\/span><\/b>, the <\/span>India-Bhutan hydroelectric joint venture<\/span><\/b>, the <\/span>Myanmar-Bangladesh-India gas pipeline<\/span><\/b>, the Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal (BBIN) framework for energy cooperation, and the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) pipeline should be promoted<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Instead of a regional security approach, the energy trade should be perceived through the lens of <\/span>conflict resolution<\/span><\/b> and <\/span>peace building<\/span><\/b>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The current participation in <\/span>cross-border power projects<\/span><\/b> should be extended to all the South Asian countries, from present Bhutan and India or Nepal and India.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The transmission and distribution frameworks, new green energy corridors etc. in the South Asia should be reinforced.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The <\/span>resilient energy frameworks <\/span><\/b>such as better building-design practices, climate-proof infrastructure, a flexible monitory framework, and an integrated resource plan should be promoted.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Apart from the government, the <\/span>Public-private partnership <\/span><\/b>should be promoted<\/span>. <\/span><\/b>It can be a harbinger in meeting the <\/span>energy transition challenges<\/span><\/b> for the world\u2019s most populous region.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Way forward<\/strong><\/h5>\n

India should take a lead in South Asia, especially in adapting to renewable power.<\/span><\/p>\n

Source<\/span><\/b>: The post is based on an article \u201cThe goal of an energy-secure South Asia<\/strong>\u201d published in The Hindu<\/strong> on 26<\/strong><\/span>th<\/strong> April 2022<\/strong>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Context: The electricity generation in South Asia has risen exponentially. Recently, Bhutan, the Maldives, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have achieved 100% electrification in the last two years. However, the status of electrification in India, Afghanistan, and Pakistan is 94.4%, 97.7% and 73.91% respectively.\u00a0\u00a0 What are the divergences in the electricity policies of South Asian countries?\u00a0… Continue reading The goal of an energy-secure South Asia\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10328,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1230,9],"tags":[212,10498],"class_list":["post-181339","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-9-pm-daily-articles","category-public","tag-gs-paper-2","tag-the-hindu","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","views":{"total":0,"cached_at":1700787643,"cached_date":1704935465},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/181339","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10328"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=181339"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/181339\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=181339"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=181339"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=181339"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}