Affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy

It is one of NU SDG that to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy. The goal has four aspects: affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern, these aspcets are do not interfere with each other, or even intersect with each other. In some cases, they are substitutes for each other.

1. AFFORDABLE: The first requirement, affordable energy is caused by the differences in energy use around the world, which largely depends on the differences caused by different natural resource endowments and purchasing power. For example, a country with rich coal reserves is likely to widely use the resources to achieve economic industrialization, and people living in the country are likely to use coal as the main source of electricity. On the other hand, people living in countries without fossil fuel reserves may rely on more primitive fuels, such as wood fiber or even animal waste. With the continuous trend of globalization, the restriction of trade network on the whole world is deepening. Each country can increase the total amount of energy through import and realize energy diversification. However, if a country’s development level is relatively low, and the energy cost that is increasingly controlled by global financial forces is still high, then no matter how high the country’s total energy and diversification level, the people of the country have no access to energy. Therefore, an important condition of affordability is to improve income level (i.e. purchasing power) and control the impact of global non-human economic power on people’s daily spending.
2. RELIABLE: Reliable and sustainable energy supply is the guarantee of energy access. If a country or region does not have enough capacity to provide reliable and sustainable power conversion and supply guarantee, then even if it has no more resources, it is meaningless. This is not only a technical problem of the power system, but also an economic and social problem. How to build and maintain a reliable power supply system to cope with various natural and man-made disasters and provide security for the smooth operation of the economy and society.
3. MODERN: The energy system that meets the above two requirements can provide guarantee for the development of modern information society and is called “modern”.
4. SUSTAINABLE: The output of energy should be much higher than the waste and pollution. All sustainable energy is modern, although not all forms of modern energy are sustainable. Coal may be the best example. Historically, the role of coal in industrialization and human well-being is irreplaceable. If more people in today’s world enjoy an unimaginable standard of living in the past, that’s largely due to coal. Coal has many advantages, such as rich mineral resources, wide distribution and easy to use, but a long series of problems caused by coal offset these advantages to some extent. In today’s era of population growth and environmental degradation, the problems caused by coal are still increasing.

THE FACTS:

WHAT CAN WE DO?

Countries can accelerate the transition to an affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy system by investing in renewable energy resources, prioritizing energy efficient practices, and adopting clean energy technologies and infrastructure.
Businesses can maintain and protect ecosystems to be able to use and further develop hydropower sources of electricity and bioenergy, and commit to sourcing 100% of operational electricity needs from renewable sources.
Employers can reduce the internal demand for transport by prioritizing telecommunications and incentivize less energy intensive modes such as train travel over auto and air travel. Investors can invest more in sustainable energy services, bringing new technologies to the market quickly from a diverse supplier base.
You can save electricity by plugging appliances into a power strip and turning them off completely when not in use, including your computer. You can also bike, walk or take public transport to reduce carbon emissions.

References:

[1] https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/energy/

[2]https://www.un.org/zh/chronicle/article/21053