Difference between revisions of "Air pollution and energy policies"

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{{PolicyResponseComponentTemplate
 
{{PolicyResponseComponentTemplate
 
|Application=Roads from Rio+20 (2012) project;
 
|Application=Roads from Rio+20 (2012) project;
|IMAGEComponent=Land and biodiversity policies; Climate policy;
 
 
|KeyReference=Kruyt et al., 2009; Van Ruijven et al., 2012;
 
|KeyReference=Kruyt et al., 2009; Van Ruijven et al., 2012;
|Reference=EC, 2010; AGECC, 2010;
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|Reference=EC, 2010; AGECC, 2010; Jewell et al., 2016;  
|Description=Many countries around the world have formulated explicit policies to address the role of the energy system in achieving their development ambitions. Typically, these policies are clustered around three main goals:
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|Description=Many countries have formulated explicit policies to address the role of the energy system in achieving their development ambitions. These policies are clustered under goals for affordable energy, clean energy, and reliable energy. The EU Energy Strategy, for instance, aims for a competitive, sustainable and secure energy system ([[EC, 2010]]). Similarly, the UN Secretary-General Advisory Group on Energy and Climate Change ({{abbrTemplate|AGECC}}) states as goal ensuring reliable, affordable, and sustainable access to modern energy services ([[AGECC, 2010]]).  
# affordable energy,  
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#clean energy
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Other energy policies are also pursued. Energy exporting countries, for instance, aim to maximise returns on national fossil-fuel reserves. Many countries have formulated policies to support specific energy uses (e.g. irrigation) or user groups by offering energy at reduced costs, by subsidies or energy taxes exemptions , or by providing free grid connectivity. While inspired by other policy considerations, some of these measures rank as harmful subsidies from an environmental perspective.  
# reliable energy.  
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The European Energy Strategy, for instance, aims for a ‘competitive, sustainable and secure’ energy system ([[EC, 2010]]). Similarly, the UN Secretary-General’s Advisory Group on Energy and Climate Change ([[HasAcronym::AGECC]]) indicates that the energy system should ensure reliable, affordable, and sustainable access to modern energy services ([[AGECC, 2010]]). It should be noted, however, that also other energy policies are pursued. Energy exporting countries, for instance, typically aim to maximise the rents from national fossil-fuel reserves. And many countries have formulated policies to support specific sectors and purposes by offering subsidised energy carriers and other ways to keep prices below market levels. Examples are national industries favouring special, low energy prices, subsidised oil products, electricity for households and irrigation, and tax exemptions. Although inspired by other policy considerations, such measures do rank under the so-called harmful subsidies, from an environmental point of view. Clearly, taken together these energy goals represents difficult trade-offs, but also opportunities for synergy; model studies can help to identify and explore these. This section discusses how the IMAGE model can be used to explore the impacts of energy policies, in addition to specific [[Climate policy|Climate policies]], but with obvious mutual linkages. We focus on three aspects: energy security, access to modern energy sources, and reducing air pollution. Energy security concerns may limit the use of foreign supplies, with possible implications for domestic energy prices and environmental impacts. Access to modern energy will generate additional demands for fuels and electricity, with important benefits for economic development, but also more energy imports. Outside air pollution from burning fossil fuels may increase, but the phase-out of traditional bio-energy will greatly reduce indoor air pollution, resulting in net health improvements. Currently, burning fossil fuels and biomass contributes to – in some regions and cities very severe and increasing – levels of air pollution and associated health impacts; see also [[Land and biodiversity policies]]
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The three energy goals represent trade-offs, but also opportunities for synergy, and model studies can help to identify and explore these. An important interaction is also with the climate policies discussed in Component [[Climate policy]].
  
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Here, we focus on access to modern energy sources (affordable), and air pollution reduction (clean) and energy security (reliable). Energy security concerns may limit use of foreign supplies, with possible implications for domestic energy prices and environmental impacts. Access to modern energy generates additional demands for fuel and electricity with benefits for economic development, but may also lead to more energy imports. Outside air pollution from burning fossil fuels may increase, but phasing out traditional bioenergy will substantially reduce indoor air pollution, resulting in net health improvements. Currently, in some regions and cities burning fossil fuels and biomass contributes to severe and increasing levels of air pollution and associated health impacts, see also Component [[Land and biodiversity policies]].
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|IMAGEComponent=Land and biodiversity policies; Climate policy;
 
|ComponentCode=APEP
 
|ComponentCode=APEP
 
|FrameworkElementType=response component
 
|FrameworkElementType=response component
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|AggregatedComponent=Policy responses
 
}}
 
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[[Page has default form::PolicyResponseComponentForm| ]]
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Revision as of 09:43, 6 June 2017

Component is implemented in:
Related IMAGE components
Projects/Applications
Key publications
References
Linkages between goals and measures for energy access, energy security, climate change and air pollution
Flowchart Air pollution and energy policies. Linkages between components of the IMAGE system, energy policy objectives and possible policy measures.

Key policy issues

  • How do energy policies contribute to economic and social development, and how do they support or hamper a more sustainable future?
  • How can the goals for affordable, clean and reliable energy be achieved taking into account possible synergies and trade-offs?

Introduction