WHAT IT IS
Kyoto Protocol
The Kyoto Protocol is a protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), aimed at fighting global warming. The protocol was signed in December 1997, and ratified by 191 countries.
One of the primary goals behind the protocol is to reduce the global greenhouses gases Carbon dioxide, Methane, Nitrous oxide, Hydrofluorocarbons, Perfluorocarbons, and Sulphur hexafluoride. Due to the fact that a large percentage of global carbon dioxide is created by non-renewable fossil-fuel power station, much more attention was made into the development and improvement of clean alternative energy sources, and has led to a large influx of investments into the renewable energy.
Research and development of newer carbon filtration systems such as Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) and Carbon Capture and Usage (CCU) were also commenced since the creation of the protocol, but never fully applied into current systems due to its high cost and placement of the captured carbon. Such technology is still under development..
The above map indicates the participation of countries in the Kyoto Protocol as at December 2011. Green indicates countries that have ratified the treaty; Dark green are Annex I and II countries that have ratified the treaty; Grey is not yet decided; Brown is no intention of ratifying; Red is Canada, which announced its intention to withdraw in December 2011. Source: Wikimedia Commons/CC-BY-SA-3.0
SE4ALL
The “Sustainable Energy for All” or SE4ALL is an initiative by the United Nations to improve the use of renewable energy, improve energy efficiency, and achieve universal energy access.
The initiative works as part of the “International Year of Sustainable Energy for All 2012” and formed by the UN during the UN General Assembly in 2010. It aims to double the use of renewable energy used, double the rate of improvement in energy efficiency, and ensure universal access to modern energy services, by the end of the year 2030.
The UN has established various networks to support both private and public sectors in achieving these objectives. Due to this support and the governmental push from the initiative itself, it is also expected to boost renewable energy productions.
The endorsement of these energy goals are expected at the June 2012 Rio de Janeiro United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, known as the Rio+20 Conference.
Millennium Development Goals
The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are a set of major goals presented by the United Nations and accepted by all United Nations member states. The MDGs include:
1. Eradicating extreme poverty and hunger,
2. Achieving universal primary education,
3. Promoting gender equality and empowering women
4. Reducing child mortality rates,
5. Improving maternal health,
6. Combating HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases,
7. Ensuring environmental sustainability, and
8. Developing a global partnership for development.
The 7th goal in particular has a significant effect in the renewable energy industry as it requires the development of various sustainable energy projects. Sustainable energy is one of the key factors behind ending energy poverty.
Various organizations have also expressed discontent in the objective of ending energy poverty not being included as an individual goal in additional to the eight.
http://www.sustainableenergyforall.org/about
http://uk.oneworld.net/guides/energy_poverty?gclid=CMGc7b2DtqwCFbQntAodURMXHg
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,2096602,00.html
http://www.iea.org/index_info.asp?id=1847
http://www.worldwatch.org/system/files/ren21-1.pdf