Sustainable and Unsustainable Energy

Sustainable energy can ideally be defined as energy with positive impact on the healthy functioning of ecological systems, including the global ecosystem. A working definition of sustainable energy is energy with minimum negative social, health and environmental impacts, and which can be supplied continuously to future generations on earth. On this basis, we can only conclude that energy systems using nuclear power, fossil fuels, and large-scale hydropower are unsustainable.    

Both current and advanced nuclear energy systems pose serious, scientifically established dangers centered on the operation of nuclear facilities and the proliferation of fissile material. Nuclear waste is the most long-lasting toxic material on earth, which remain toxic for more than 250,000 years. The industry has never achieved a cost-effective and safe solution to these problems, nor is there any indication that such solutions are scientifically possible.

Although the nuclear reactor of a nuclear power station does not in itself, produce CO2, the nuclear fuel chain is a significant source of such emissions. It causes radioactive contamination of air, water and land, especially affecting workers in the nuclear industries and Indigenous Peoples on whose lands nuclear power is tested and produced.  

Uranium is not an infinite resource, unlike renewable sources of energy such as solar and wind.  Nuclear power is capital intensive and, especially in the case of developing countries, is likely to create long-term increases in international debt and will not produce growth in jobs nor benefit local economies

Since nuclear power is totally unsustainable, governments should mandate the immediate phasing out of all nuclear power plants.

Regarding fossil fuels, from exploration to production and consumption, there are, at each stage, negative ecological, social, and economic impacts.  Fossil fuel extraction over the years has created an ecological debt in petroleum producing areas for which the system of excessive consumption of the industrialized countries and the extractors should be held responsible.  Local populations and indigenous peoples suffer from pollution, and destruction of their communities and local economies.  Attempts to gain access to petroleum lead to revolts, repression, displacement, and even international wars.  Also, the most advanced extraction technologies have been proven to be unsafe, where transport, refining and end use cause damage to water, soil and air. As a result, local population and indigenous peoples suffer from pollution, and destruction of their communities and local economies.

Governments must mandate an immediate moratorium on exploration and extraction in environmentally and socially and sensitive areas.  Governments and the corporate sector must shift toward renewable technologies, relying heavily on conservation in order to avoid the entire chain of damage that it oil production and consumption cause at every step. For example, countries should implement a tax based on carbon content to induce a shift away from coal and oil.

Small-scale hydropower is a sustainable source of energy.  But large-scale hydropower, although renewable, is not sustainable.  Its sheer size has caused not only very serious negative environmental impacts, including soil erosion and loss of biodiversity, but also negative social impacts on peoples living in dam areas, especially on indigenous peoples.  These peoples lose their sources of livelihood or are even displaced from their traditional homes, lands and communities.  The recent global review of large-scale dams by the World Commission of Dams, has confirmed these negative impacts and huge capital costs involved in the implementation of large-scale dam projects. Governments should mandate a moratorium on the construction of large-scale dams.

Increasing Access to Sustainable Energy

Increased access to sustainable energy is realized only through the participation of the poor, women, indigenous peoples, the disabled, the elderly, and other under represented groups in civil society. These groups and the two billion rural poor who lack access to "modern energy" should have key institutionalized roles in energy decision-making at all levels and in all sectors producing and using energy, both public and private. For instance, present energy consumption patterns place inequitable burdens upon women, especially in rural areas in developing countries.  Women spend long hours gathering cooking fuel, time that could be spent in more productive activities.  Throughout the world, generations of indigenous peoples and their lands and other life forms have been especially negatively impacted by the production of unsustainable energy.  Unsustainable energy industries operate in indigenous peoples territories without their consent, and displace them from their lands, thereby violating their human and collective rights. Imposed exposure to industry toxins and uranium has caused disproportionately high rates of cancer and other diseases among indigenous peoples.    

The primary obstacle to the use of more sustainable forms of energy is the enormous amounts of government economic subsidies that perpetuate the myths of so-called "cheap" fossil fuels and large-scale hydropower or so called "clean" nuclear power.  Some examples of "hidden" government subsidies are: deficiency payments for producer losses; operating grants to producers; consumer subsidies via retailers; tax exemptions, and deductions; tax rate relief; tax deferrals; preferential treatment in local  rates and franchise fees; provision of infrastructure such as land appropriation for  roads and plant sites;  government research and development  expenditures; preferential loans; price regulation; and import/export  tariffs/quotas.

If external costs related to energy production, such as health, environmental, and social costs are included, it will become apparent that allegedly "expensive" renewable sources of energy are in fact much cheaper than the existing non-sustainable technologies. Government subsidies for the production and consumption of harmful, unsustainable forms of energy should be phased out under a five-year time frame, and along with this, incentives and funding should be provided for conservation and the development of renewable energy sources.

Some of the resources supporting harmful energy subsidies from industrialized countries should be redirected to finance the establishment  and functioning of a new UN agency called the International Sustainable Energy Agency or Organization. Workshops should be held at the country level to assist countries in identifying, planning and implementing the phasing out of unsustainable energy subsidies and in the calculation of full costs.

Access to sustainable energy is critical to the reduction of poverty, as well as to the promotion of equitable development between and among countries.  Renewable energy sources, as opposed to nuclear energy and fossil fuels, naturally foster the decentralization of the provision of energy. The poor, especially from the South, should be able to access, develop and control information, appropriate technologies, and required skills for the production and marketing of energy.  The interests of global trade should not override this right, and the implementation of the Trade Related Intellectual Property  Rights agreement  should not amount to a deprivation  of access to sustainable energy technology.