Internationally Energy supply is becoming a critical problem across the world, as communities demand ever greater supplies of power. This is leading to an unprecedented rise in the generation of energy and, ultimately, the production of greenhouse gases through the burning of fossil fuels. Many countries, particularly in Europe, are throwing their weight behind the development of renewable energy technologies, with huge future potential economic benefits as new economies are forged. New organisations are emerging to facilitate these developments, such as the Green Building Council who support innovative and pioneering sustainable buildings. South Africa Energy accounts for 78% of South Africa’s carbon emissions. Without intervention this figure will continue to grow. Prices of energy are expected to sore by over 400% over the next five years. These costs will be born by end users, particularly those living at the bottom of the economic ladder whose energy costs already constitute a significant proportion of their monthly expenditures. Opportunity Improving energy efficiency is both environmentally and economically sound. So too is the use of cost- effective low carbon forms of energy production. New economies are being built to take advantage of both these opportunities particularly as greater efficiency produces a high return on investment while helping to reduce exposure to risk. Within the formal economic sector these opportunities promise to improve carbon use along with well-being and livelihoods. Within poor communities, while the impact on carbon use is limited, the impacts on well- being and livelihood are significant. The project This project seeks to build models that take advantage of both these opportunities to develop new low carbon economies. Environmental security: through resilient systems Energy

Environmental security through resilient systems - Energy · energy technologies, with huge future potential economic benefits as new economies are forged. New organisations are emerging

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Page 1: Environmental security through resilient systems - Energy · energy technologies, with huge future potential economic benefits as new economies are forged. New organisations are emerging

Many countries, particularly in Europe, are throwing their weight behind the development of renewable energy technologies, with huge future potential economic benefits as new economies are forged. New organisations are emerging to facilitate these developments, such as the Green Building Council who support innovative and pioneering sustainable buildings.

South AfricaEnergy accounts for 78% of South Africa’s carbon emissions. Without intervention this figure will continue to grow.

Prices of energy are expected to sore by over 400% over the next five years. These costs will be born by end users, particularly those living at the bottom of the economic ladder whose energy costs already constitute a significant proportion of their monthly expenditures.

OpportunityImproving energy efficiency is both environmentally and economically sound. So too is the use of cost-effective low carbon forms of energy production. New economies are being built to take advantage of both these opportunities particularly as greater efficiency produces a high return on investment while helping to reduce exposure to risk.

Within the formal economic sector these opportunities promise to improve carbon use along with well-being and livelihoods. Within poor communities, while the impact on carbon use is limited, the impacts on well-being and livelihood are significant.

The projectThis project seeks to build models that take advantage of both these opportunities to develop new low carbon economies.

Environmental security: through resilient systemsEnergy

Products• Retrofitting toolkits.• Models for technology change in institutions.• Models for off-grid energy supply.• Models for energy efficiency in buildings.• Policy paper for the management of energy provision in urban areas.• Academic papers.

ActivitiesUndertaking the research and experimentation necessary to build these models.

Impacts• Reduced demand for energy.• Increase awareness of sustainable practices.• Increased opportunities for green entrepreneurs.• Change of government and institutional policies towards sustainable practices.

Partners include:• Shack Dwellers International• Peer Africa• Community Organisation Resource Centre