The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development was launched on 20 June in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil twenty years after a major summit on Environment and Development that was held in the same city.
The Rio+20 conference is expected to attract more than 50.000 people from international institutions, NGOs, civil society and the private sector as 120 world leaders confirmed their presence.
During three days, participants will debate on how to make sustainable development a reality for seven billion people today, and to define a future we want for nine billion by 2050.
Rio+20 is an opportunity to secure renewed political commitment for sustainable development, a chance that must be seized if we want to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Sustainable energy is one of the key priorities of Rio+20. The United Nations General Assembly declared 2012 as the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All.
It called on the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to organize and coordinate activities to increase awareness of the importance of addressing energy issues in a sustainable manner.
In response, the UN Secretary-General launched a global initiative on Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL).
The initiative aims at mobilizing global action from governments, the private sector, and civil society around three objectives: ensuring universal access to modern energy services, doubling the rate of improvements in energy efficiency, and doubling the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix, all to be reached by 2030.
Sustainable energy, a key component of sustainable development, is energy that is produced and used in ways that will support long-term human development in all its social, economic and environmental dimensions.
It enables economic growth and equitable development, and is essential to realizing the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), reducing poverty, and reducing the risks of climate change.
Achieving sustainable energy for all is not simply an option, it is a future worth to be chosen.
For the last decade, Rwanda has witnessed a spectacular economic growth. The country is on track in terms of achieving the MDGs and millions have been lifted out of poverty.
Severe challenges remain, however, in the energy sector. Only 11% of the population has access to electricity and 86% relies on firewood as the main source of energy.
Rwanda identified access to electricity as one of the main drivers of economic development and poverty reduction. As part of the EDPRS 2, the Government of Rwanda is seeking to heavily invest in the energy sector.
In addition, in its national strategy “Green Growth and Climate Resilience” the Government of Rwanda lays out a clear and plausible path to achieving the ambitious development targets of Vision 2020 in a way that is sustainable.
In doing so, focusing on sustainable energy by developing its green economy is the choice that must be made. Investing in right technologies, designing the right policies and creating the right policy framework and incentives needed to expand sustainable energy access to all are crucial for the Rwanda’s future.
It must mobilize international and public support for the goal, as well as encourage the private sector to innovate and invest.
Rio+20 and the SE4ALL initiative provide great opportunities for Rwanda to provide global leadership in the development of a greener, more equitable and more sustainable world.
By making the right choices today, Rwanda will be able to demonstrate that green growth, poverty reduction and sustainable energy go hand in hand.
The United Nations in Rwanda stands ready to support the efforts of the Government of Rwanda to provide access to sustainable energy for all.
The Author is UN Resident Coordinator/UNDP Resident Representative a.i.
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