Higher coal demand to increase SE Asia emissions
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Carbon-dioxide intensities in Southeast Asia are projected to increase at annual rates of 0.8 per cent, as a result of the expected increase in coal demand, especially for power generation, according to an energy report by the Asian Development Bank.
Per capita CO2 emissions will vary by region because of the diversity in fuel choice, level of electrification, economic development, industry structure, and living standards, the bank said.
Per capita emissions of developing member countries are expected to increase at 1.6 per cent per year, while those of the developed group are expected to decrease at 0.2 per cent annually.
CO2 emissions in Asia and the Pacific in the “alternative” case would be 27.6 per cent lower than in the “business as usual” case. The ADB said the reduction could be achieved through improvements in energy efficiency (52.6 per cent) and a shift toward lower-carbon-emitting energy sources (47.4 per cent).
Specifically, energy-efficiency improvements on both the supply and demand sides will contribute significantly to the overall reduction in CO2 emissions in Asia and the Pacific.
This finding suggests the importance of improving energy efficiency not only to cope with the challenges to energy security within the region, but also to manage the global challenges of climate change, the bank said in its report.
In other words, Asia and the Pacific has the greatest potential to contribute to global efforts to mitigate the challenges of climate change by reinforcing its policies and measures on energy efficiency.
