Syllabus :GS3/Environment
In News
- A new report by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), launched during the Asia-Pacific Clean Energy Week in Bangkok, highlights the vast but underutilized renewable energy potential in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region.
| The Hindu Kush Himalaya – It is a region that extends 3500 km over Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan. – It is the source of ten large Asian river systems – the Amu Darya, Indus, Ganges, Brahmaputra (Yarlungtsanpo), Irrawaddy, Salween (Nu), Mekong (Lancang), Yangtse (Jinsha), Yellow River (Huanghe), and Tarim (Dayan) . – It provides water, ecosystem services, and the basis for livelihoods to a population of around 240 million people in the region |
Key Findings of recent report
- Clean energy share in total primary energy supply (TPES) is only 6.1% across HKH countries.
- Hydropower is identified as hugely underexploited, with only 49% of 882 GW potential currently tapped.
- 635 GW of hydropower potential comes from trans-boundary rivers in the HKH.
- Non-hydro potential (solar and wind) stands at 3 Terawatts, while regional renewable targets total 1.7 Terawatts.
- Country wise data :
- Bhutan and Nepal generate 100% of electricity from renewables.
- Other HKH countries rely heavily on fossil fuels,Bangladesh: 98%, India: 77%,Pakistan: 76%, China: 67% and Myanmar: 51%.
- Biofuels and waste: Biofuels and waste remain key sources of energy in rural areas, accounting for two-thirds of TPES in Nepal, half in Myanmar, and a quarter in Bhutan and Pakistan. These traditional fuels contribute to air pollution and poor health outcomes.
- Climate change is posing serious risks to the energy sector, particularly hydropower, through increased water variability, extreme weather events, and changing streamflows.
- Notably, two-thirds of current and planned hydropower projects are vulnerable to glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) and other climate-induced disasters.
- Therefore, disaster risk mitigation must be integrated into project planning.
- Several barriers are hampering renewable energy progress in the region.
- These include high capital costs, limited public financing, low private investment, lack of technical knowledge, land constraints, insufficient R&D, and outdated or missing regulatory frameworks.
Suggestions
- The report advocates for regional cooperation beyond trade, emphasizing infrastructure investment, south-south technology exchange, and support from international financial institutions.
- Platforms like SAARC’s Energy Centre and the Bay of Bengal Initiative are seen as vital for fostering collaboration.
- The report also positions the HKH region—and especially India and China—as global leaders in clean energy, urging them to leverage their competitive advantage to drive green economic growth, poverty alleviation, and emissions reductions, while ensuring resilience and equity for future generations.
- Social and environmental implications for local communities also need careful management.
Source :DTE
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