| Main knowledge bank page |
Recent additions |
Recent changes |
What links here |
Categories |
Category cloud How-to guides | Organisation profiles | Project profiles | ||||||||||||
Theme editorial: Improving the environment can lead to benefits for household energy
[top] [end]Introduction - the environmental dilemmaIn the past two decades, environmental issues have become an ever-increasing global concern. Many projects will aim to reduce the consumption of local natural resources, especially forest resources. Increasingly, household energy projects are addressing indoor air pollution to reduce health impacts on women and children. Global issues are now also influencing energy strategies in developing countries.[top] [end]The issuesThere are a number of possible impacts of household energy on the environment, which will affect both the local and the global environment. Some of the main concerns are as follows;[top] [end]Resource DepletionFuelwood depletion is the problem that can have the most immediate impact on the community who use the forest resources. It is now widely accepted that fuel use is not the main cause of deforestation, as compared to the impact of commercial logging and land clearance for agriculture. However, where forests are depleted, fuel demands add increased pressures on remaining forest areas.As new reserves of coal, oil and natural gas are found around the world, fossil fuel resource depletion is no longer considered the major crisis in the global energy sector. Nonetheless, the need for conservation for future generations should still not be forgotten. Fossil fuel consumption is also directly related to global warming (see below). [top] [end]Loss of biodiversityLoss of forestry has a direct impact on the natural surrounding environment. Some of the papers in this issue discuss the knock-on effects of deforestation, which include loss of forests environment, soil erosion and local climatic changes. All of these will add to the loss of the diversity in the local plant and wild life.[top] [end]Indoor air pollution (health)As Boiling Point 40 addressed in detail, the greatest impact of household energy on human health is due to pollution of the indoor environment. Smoke in the kitchen has been shown to be one of the main factors in many deaths in children under the age of five, as well as the cause of many illnesses and discomforts for women.[top] [end]Global warmingGlobal warming has been shown to be caused by two factors.
Although not seen on a daily basis, over a number of years the impacts of global warming will be felt in different parts of the world. Some authorities claim that recent natural disasters around the world have been due partly to global warming whose main effect is to raise global temperatures, thereby increasing drought in some places, and creating floods in others. A range of other climatic changes are also predicted.
[top] [end]Win-win benefitsIt would be easy to view environmental conservation as a costly addition in time and resources to a household energy project. A win-win benefit is one in which a benefit in one way also gives a benefit in another way. In fact environmental gain will, in most cases, result in additional wider benefits. This can be classed as a win-win situation, where both the environment and the communities involved benefit. A few examples of win-win benefits are given below.[top] [end]Improved stoves reduce both the time used in fuel collection and the amount of fuelwood neededImproved cooking stoves should give a higher efficiency, which mean less time collecting wood and cooking, so more time can be devoted to the family or to productive enterprises. The environmental gains are of course, reduction in fuelwood consumed, causing less impact on forestry and lower global warming emissions.[top] [end]Reduced smoke increases benefits to healthAnother benefit of improved cooking stoves and the use of other higher grade fuels are the health benefits. By reducing the use of fuel wood, there is a significant reduction in exposure to smoke emissions for the cook and for her children.
[top] [end]Improved forest cover improves water retention and nutrition in the soilThere are a wide range of benefits which increased forestry cover has on the local ecosystem and the knock-on benefits to farming. These include improved water retention and soil nutrition. In addition, properly managed forests will allow for a wide range of biodiversity, therefore animal and plant species will not be lost.[top] [end]Using urban waste as a fuel reduces environmental health hazardsUsing urban waste as an energy source is a new concept in the household energy sector. The workshop described by Dunnett details the win-win opportunities for both energy supply and for reducing the potential environmental hazards of rotting waste on urban streets.[top] [end]New livelihoods are gained from environmentally sound technologiesThe introduction of improved and renewable energy technologies often opens up opportunities for developing local business. A commercial approach to producing, distributing and maintaining improved stoves has been shown to be the best and most sustainable approach. The article by Kimani recommends a commercialized approach even in refugee situations, where livelihoods are in a very fine balance.[top] [end]ObstaclesHowever, there remain a number of obstacles for the introduction of environmental conservation measures in the household energy sector.Land ownership and forestry rights: this is addressed in the article by Klunne, where lands used for fuel collection are being returned to large land owners for large sugar production. Access to fuels: The article by Malhotra describes the difficulty that rural populations in India have in accessing kerosene and LPG, due to subsidies which favour the urban communities. Limited access to alternatives to fuelwood can often intensify the pressure on local forestry resources. Access to improved technologies: The main barrier to accessing improved or renewable energy technologies is the initial cost. Even if the day-to-day cost of the energy supply is cheaper, the cost of the technology may be too great for many people in poor communities. Lack of baseline data on environment and socio-economic conditions: Lack of evidence or data on environmental problems will often delay action from governments or concerned organizations to mitigate the problems. Economic conditions of target group: While the affected group may be fully aware of the erosion of their environment, and the increasing difficulties in accessing fuels, many are not in a position to address the problem due to lack of economic stability. [top] [end]Possible solutionsBelow is a brief list of some possible solutions to the environmental dilemmas of household energy:
[top] [end]Contents: Boiling Point 42 - Household energy and the environment
Categories: Boiling Point 42| Environment | ||||||||||||
Page created:
20 July 2007; Last edited:
31 July 2007; Version: 1 | ||||||||||||
Pagename: ImprovingTheEnvironmentCanLeadToBenefitsForHouseholdEnergy @HEDON: BAGA | ||||||||||||
