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Preliminary DocumentsRoundtable on Energy security documentsDRAFT LIST OF ISSUES FOR DISCUSSION AT GROUP FOR ENERGY SECURITY Within the process of the Group work the issues shall be specified and formulated as proposals and recommendations, which will in future make up the position of the Civil Society at the Group 8 Summit in St. Petersburg in July 2006 Energy security issues are justifiably entered into agenda of the G8 meeting as one of the key problems of the modern world. Steady development becomes a necessity at the background forming understanding of the depth of the global energy security problems. Scales of need in global power resources are giant and they are increasing in order to ensure normal functioning of developed countries economies, speedy growth of the developing countries and resolution of poorness problems, as well as global climate change problem. Uneven location of power resources, difference in development levels and characteristics of energy sector of the countries define development of countries and companies interests. Absence of unified global energy policy could be explained before, but in presence of current energy security problem the mankind –civil society, governments and businesses – of absolutely different countries are forced upon of necessity to formulate generally acceptable directions, rules and principles of global energy policy. The intention of Ministers of finance “to strengthen communication on global energy policy between the producing countries, consumers and private sector” (Communiqué) may be welcome. But the position of a third party of such communication – the civil society - should also be taken into consideration. Government bodies and energy companies of all countries may view the directions, at direction to which insist many inhabitants of this planet, as it is stated in the position of non-governmental organisations. Most problems of global energy have been discussed for quite a long time and quite intensively: energy efficiency, safety of atomic power, greenhouse gas effect, environmentally friendly renewable power sources (biomass, sun and wind energy, etc), and power availability for the poor within the Millennium Development Goals. During the past few years the state policy of the developed countries has demonstrated positive shifts. In many EU countries there have been taken serious decisions on future increase in share of renewable energy, the Kyoto Protocol has enter into force, decisions on climate have been taken (Gleneagles, 2005). Several recent newly developed factors have brought into agenda an overall turn of the global energy policy. These factors are related with energy safety in the broad sense of the word and evidence of danger in continuing inertial development of the world. The following key issues may be emphasised: • Safety of nuclear energy and other energy objects at the background hazard of international terrorism; • Fluctuation and increase of prices for energy sources, which raise development problems; • Catastrophes and environmental hazard, necessity to resolve global climate change problem; • Aggravating of social development problems in connection with both unsolved energy problems, and necessity to concurrently finance and resolve a complicated set of different problems. In this connection the position of non-governmental organisations (NGO) lies in necessity to change priorities of state economic policies so that to face the solution of energy problems of sustainable development with ensuring of energy security. It is time for positive more systematic steps, dynamic and tied with interests of consumers and producers. NGO expect that the heads of countries and energy companies would produce clear coordinated and environmentally responsible energy policy. NGO suggest monitoring of both state regulatory control over energy safety problems, and actual activities in this sphere, which would be performed by all responsible participants of the process of development and implementation of the global energy policy. NGO understand that it would be very difficult for them to arrive to a hundred percent joined point of view on the directions to achieve strategic energy goals (for example, on future of nuclear energy). Nonetheless NGO are prepared for coordinated actions and are ready to significantly speed up their activities on resolution of energy safety problems. NGO view their role in providing assistance to the governments in selection of the most expedient, socially and ecologically significant steps. ISSUES PROPOSED FOR DISCUSSION: Session A – Energy Economics 1. How to expand and deepen the fundamental processes of energy saving by means of spreading of economic tools and technologies, and by achieving levelling (between the countries) of introduction stages of the advanced efficient technologies, as well as ecological standards? How to reduce growth of global energy consumption per GDP in the nearest future? 2. How to increase intensiveness of the investment process in the global energy in the short-term, so that to escape lack of energy resources (or their delivery infrastructure), strengthen diversification of energy consumption? 3. What steps shall be taken in order to ensure balance of interests between countries and companies in development of global energy market of hydrocarbons by development of physical, information and institutional market infrastructure? 4. How to achieve information transparency? Both on hydrocarbon reserves in different parts of the world, and on technology of extraction and delivery, and ecological components of the processes. Session B - Energy Safety 5. How to ensure safety of nuclear energy (with respect to national choice in this sphere) by generating efforts on protection from terrorism, safety of reactors and disposal of nuclear wastes? 6. How to reduce (in comparison with the present state) loss and loss risks for natural environment and mankind living conditions, which arise during extraction, transportation, processing and use of energy resources, storage and disposal of wastes, generated at all stages of life cycle? Session C – Ecology of Energy 7. How to expand development and use of renewable and ecologically safe sources and how to increase their commercial competitiveness? 8. How to develop and introduce international norms for increase in share of renewable energy (for countries with different development levels and structure of national economy)? 9. What are the future steps on reduction of greenhouse gases emission? How to stimulate transition to gas and other types of energy with low “carbon capacity”? What should be an international agreement on reduction of greenhouse gases for the period after 2012 (after the first period of the Kyoto Protocol)? Session D - Energy Strategy 10. What are the frameworks of global energy policy? What is the timetable for transfer to new technologies in production and energy saving, taking into account “carbon” energy problems and climate change? 11. How to elaborate an international energy strategy in order to ensure non-exhausting use of energy resources? How to create guarantee of energy resources availability for future generations? 12. What shall be done within the next twenty years in order to ensure availability of energy sources for the low income population of the Earth, so that to safeguard their decent existence? 13. How can NGO create a system for monitoring of legislation and practical steps of governments and companies? 14. What shall be done at the meeting in the summer of 2006? How to organise regular NGO activities in order to achieve transparency and clearness of activities by governments and companies and to make sure in sufficiency of the taken activities on state regulation and international coordination, and their correspondence to the long-term objectives of mankind development? WORKING MATERIALS FOR DISCUSSION “On Activities to Ensure Global Energy Security” We, , united by the process “Civil Eight-2006”, as a result of the discussion on 9-10 March 2006 in Moscow, Russia, regard it as our duty to notify the global community and heads of the G8 countries on our vision of global energy security that the mankind is facing. In our opinion, global energy security is a state of the global community when every citizen of the Earth has a guaranteed access to energy sources that in the long term perspective –in the quantitative and qualitative terms – meet the demands of healthy lifestyle, comfortable environment, conditions for intellectual and mental growth. The foreseen exhaustion of available reserves and the increasing deficit of hydrocarbon fuel that have already caused the galloping price growth and the breakout of the armed competition to control the territories with resources and transportation routes. Lack of technical solutions proving safe (accidents free and eliminating possibility of products and technologies use for military purposes) operations of nuclear energy complexes, including storage of spent nuclear fuel and other wastes, dismantling reactors and other machinery at the decommissioned plants. Presence of artificial obstacles for fast development and distribution of energy saving technologies and technologies for production of environmentally friendly non-conventional energy sources based on renewable resources (wind, solar, biological, tidal, geothermal energy, dam-free hydroelectric power stations, etc.), production and sales of the equipment for reasonable prices. These are the factors, which are currently hindrance steady development of the mankind, and in case the adequate measures are not taken would make it impossible for the term of life of the present and future generations. Under condition that the energy supply system remains unchanged, the following threats to stability and safety will be inevitably faced in the nearest future: • decreased living standards in the countries consuming conventional energy resources; • strengthening social differentiation within a country, emerging of conditions for national social outbreaks; • conservation of living standards and social and economic development lag of the Southern nations; slowdown in development of energy-dependent sectors of industries, first of all, agriculture; maintained base for global terrorism and international dissention and conflicts; • deepened and expanded conflicts, including the armed ones, to control production regions and transportation routes for energy resources; increased (because of the wider range of nuclear countries) possibility of conflicts with use of nuclear weapons; • increased temptation to neglect rights of the population (especially rights of small-in-number indigenous peoples to preserve their traditional life style) and safety of ecosystems in the production regions and on energy resources transportation routes, in particular, in the countries with weak democracies; loss of the considerable part of the planet biodiversity. To achieve the global energy security and sustainable development of the mankind the leading industrial countries of the world and, first of all, the G8 countries have to undertake coordinated efforts in order to achieve the following strategical goals. Goal 1. Transition – by the middle (optional end) of the XXI century – to the prevailing use of alternative energy sources based on renewable resources (wind, solar, biological, tidal, geothermal, etc.), as close as possible to the final consumers and available for most inhabitants of the planet; Goal 2. Prevention (reduction compared to the present) of damages, decrease in risks of damages to the environment and human living conditions, which occurring during production, transportation, procession and use of conventional energy resources of the XX century, storage and disposal of waste produced at all stages of their live cycle. To achieve the above goals the G8 leaders should entrust their governments: • to develop, discuss and submit for adoption by the Summit 2010 projects of national, regional and global investment programs of significant increase in energy efficiency for ensuring the proper lifestyle (for example, by the end of the century 10 fold increase in per capita energy efficiency as compared to the current American standard); • to develop, discuss and submit for adoption by the Summit 2010 projects of national, regional and global investment programs in mass production of devices for generation of heat and electricity from renewable (alternative) sources, which can be afforded by the most part of the population; • to create global monitoring system for activities associated with production and transportation of hydrocarbons, including monitoring from the space, aimed at preventing damage to the global environment; • to develop and by 2010 submit for discussion in UN and EU a project of international (global) system of compensations for damages (economic liability for the damage) to the environment and its components, human health, caused by production, transportation and processing of hydrocarbon and nuclear materials, storage, disposal and reprocessing of the produced waste; international system of obligatory insurances of environmental risks. Among the results of the summit 2006 shall also be commissions to the G8 governments to prepare for consideration and endorsement at the summit 2007 in Germany the projects of the following international documents: 1. On mutual commitments of the G8 countries to use the best environmentally clean technologies at production and transportation of hydrocarbon and nuclear fuel, providing for the countries joint efforts to: • make a list of the best available ecological technologies and its regular update; • assist each other in exchange of the advanced environmentally clean technologies, • take measures on forming of public opinion – fashion for energy efficient lifestyle, including consumption of appropriate goods and services 2. On creation, in particular through a tax on consumption of non-renewable energy, of a G8 “Just Energy Sharing Fund” for investments in distribution of energy saving technologies and technologies for generation of heat and electrical power from renewable (alternative) sources (for example, through purchasing patented information and providing free access to it). 3. On ban against state subsidies for energy based on nuclear fuel [and coil] [and hydrocarbon material] starting from 2008 [2010]. 4. On introduction in 2010 of the standard for specific fuel use, harmonized at the level of G8 countries, for newly produced cars and its consecutive reduction. 5. On ensuring of mutually agreed by G8 transparency level for energy sector, including both reserves data and production of various types and sources of energy, as well as social and ecological consequences of fuel and energy complex activities. 6. On ensuring of participation of the public, international and national non-governmental organizations in development of international, regional and national state measures (strategies, concepts, programmes etc.) in energy sector, including by participation in the mandatory long-term environmental impact assessment in accordance with the international and national law. VALUABLE EXPERT COMMENTS, which may be considered at further processing of the text The Arctic Region. Taking into account that in future most fuel resources of the G8 countries will be produced in the Arctic, and the arctic ecosystems are very sensitive to anthropogenic impact: • to ensure that starting from 2015 only environmentally clean technologies are used for production and transportation of hydrocarbons in the Arctic; • to ensure conservation of the Arctic ecosystems, take adaptation measures taking into account consequences of the global climate change in the Arctic; • to pass and implement the joint plan of scientific research of G8 countries in the Arctic, to develop systems of monitoring and prevention of negative phenomena. Environmental assessment and global heritage. When developing international and national measures (strategies, concepts, programmes, etc.) for energy sector, also to carry out obligatory strategic environmental effect assessment (SEEA) in accordance with the international and national law, providing for informing and participation of public representatives (representatives of the civil society) in development of those measures. No oil, gas or mining projects or activities should get support (including technical support) and be implemented, if they can affect the existing World Heritage properties, currently established protected zones or vulnerable natural habitats (as it is established in the policy of the World Bank regarding natural habitats) or territories that are intended by the state or local authorities for future protection. Furthermore, all projects in the extractive industry planned in the famous “biologically hot spots” have to undergo additional assessment for alternative development. Risks and Emergency states. Under no circumstances support can be provided for projects in the territories involved in armed conflicts or where risks of such conflicts are very high. As for any projects in the extractive industry, it should be guaranteed that emergency actions plans are made at the initial stages of the projects’ development, including plans and procedures for building reliable communication lines, which would enable warning of the local communities, appropriate understanding of potential impacts, adequate monitoring and technical maintenance. Projects of Joint Implementation (JI) and Mechanisms of Clean Development (CDM) of the Kyoto Protocol. “Golden standards” is the best system of control over CDM and JI, supported by NGO community. They have already been applied by several EU governments (for example, in Germany, Denmark) and have also commanded support in the business environment. Projects satisfying the “golden standard”: • include only projects of renewable energy sources development and projects aimed at increase of energy consumption efficiency, as those technologies in themselves have low ecological risks; • definitely pass the “additionality” test (i.e. they are not general commercial projects); • use the method of involving ecological and social indicators to check contribution of the project in sustainable development. Ensure reaching of the 20% share of renewable energy sources use by 2015. Rural and poor population, who do not have access to the current energy supply system, should be first of all supplied by these sources. On long-strategy goal for prevention of negative climate change consequences. Based on the latest scientific data the international NGO coalition (Climate Action Network) engaged in the problem of climate change arrived at a solid conclusion that climate change shall be limited by the level of 2 Celsius degrees (versus the “pre-industrial” level of the mid ÕIÕ century). More severe changes in average temperatures will result in irreversible changes in ecological systems and significant social and economic losses because of the sharply increased number of negative phenomena: droughts, floods, hurricanes, heat waves, ice melting and permafrost decomposition. Agenda 9 MARCH 9.00 - 10.00 Plenary session • “Civil G8: process and perspectives». Ella Pamfilova, coordinator of the National working group, project "Civil G8"/Russian Federation. • "G8: history and activity" Victoria Panova, G8 research group of the Toronto University, regional director /Russian Federation. • "2005 G8 Stakeholder Consultation: lessons learnt from UK Presidency" Peter Ritchie, Chatham House/UK. • "Civil Society and G8: history of involvement" Peter Hajnal, G8 research group of the Toronto University/Canada • “Business as a part of the Civil Society and its communication with G8”, Tatiana Monegen, International Chamber of Commerce, Secretary General in Russia/Russia Questions Work Group on Energy Security Coordinators: Leonid Grigoriev Vladimir Zakharov Alexey Kokorin (coordinator of editorial group) 10.00 - 12.30 Energy Economics 12.30 - 13.00 Forming of editorial group. Proposals on questions to Sherpas 13.00 - 14.00 Lunch Meeting of editorial group 14.00 - 15.30 Energy Safety 15.30 - 16.00 Coffee-break Meeting of editorial group 16.00 - 18.00 Plenary session with Sherpas 10 MARCH Work Group on Energy Security Coordinators: Leonid Grigoriev Vladimir Zakharov Alexey Kokorin (coordinator of editorial group) 10.00 - 11.00 Ecology of Energy Meeting with Head of the Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Monitoring of an Environment, President of the World Meteorological Organisation Alexander Bedritsky 11.00-11.30 Coffee-break Meeting of editorial group 11.30 - 12.00 Ecology of Energy 12.00 - 13.00 Energy Strategy 13.00 - 14.00 Lunch Meeting of editorial group 14.00 - 15.00 Energy Strategy 15.00 - 15.30 Discussion on Summary documents/recommendations-suggestions 15.30 - 16.00 Coffee-break Meeting of editorial group 16.00 - 18.00 Plenary session • Working groups coordinators reports • Discussion on NGOs Summary documents/recommendations-suggestions • Summary documents adoption 18.30 Press-conference 20.00 Consultative Council meeting |
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Expert opinion
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