Sustainable Energy Key to COVID-19 Recovery in Asia and the Pacific

By Armida Salsiah AlisjahbanaBANGKOK, Thailand, Feb 22 2021 (IPS) The past year is one that few of us will forget. While the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have played out unevenly across Asia and the Pacific, the region has been spared many of the worst effects seen in other parts of the world. The pandemic has reminded us that a reliable and uninterrupted energy supply is critical to managing this crisis. Armida Salsiah AlisjahbanaBeyond ensuring that hospitals and healthcare facilities continue to function, energy supports the systems and coping mechanisms we rely on to work remotely, undertake distance learning and communicate essential health information. Importantly, energy will also underpin cold chains and logistics to ensure that billions of vaccines make their way to the people who need them most. The good news is our region’s energy systems have continued to function throughout the pandemic. A new report Shaping a sustainable energy future in Asia and the Pacific: A greener, more resilient and inclusive energy system released today by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) shows the energy demand reductions have mainly impacted fossil fuels and depressed oil and gas prices. Renewable energy development in countries across the region, such as China and India, has continued at a healthy pace throughout 2020. As the Asia-Pacific region transitions its energy system to clean, efficient and low carbon technologies, the ...
Source: IPS Inter Press Service - Health - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Tags: Asia-Pacific Economy & Trade Education Energy Green Economy Headlines Health Humanitarian Emergencies Inequity Labour Poverty & SDGs Sustainability TerraViva United Nations Source Type: news