Is the hidden renewable energy in Central Asia -Watt?

Author: Brenda Saver Swate Cornell

One of the biggest threats of human health and the main source of air pollution is often hidden in statistical reports as “renewable energy”: burning of feces, wood and coal. Although most parts of the world have obtained energy from fossil fuels, more than 2 billion people around the world cannot get modern energy on a regular basis, but rely on traditional combustion collection materials. Most people who cannot obtain conventional energy live in Africa, southern Sahara. However, in many states, the energy acquisition of major cities and rural population is very different. Central Asia is a divided area: the level of human development is very high, and major cities are generally powered on, but due to the lack of reliable power supply, up to one -third of the population still depends on traditional energy thermal and electricity or due to the latter's cost due to the latter's cost. Too high. One of the priority priorities in Central Asia and the world should be to obtain modern energy, especially natural gas, which in turn will greatly improve human health and reduce air pollution.

All humans need energy to perform basic functions. If you cannot obtain modern energy, people will burn biomass and other materials that can be collected for free or very cheaply. In 2022, global power supply has fallen for the first time since World War II, and may maintain stability in 2023.

People's dependence on traditional energy is often hidden in the formal statistics of energy use, or is underestimated. Some organizations such as the International Energy Administration have begun to classify traditional combustion into renewable energy. The International Energy Administration shows the increase in renewable energy consumption through this report, and the increase in the number of women in the “energy workers” by classification of feces and sticks as “energy workers”. In some places, traditional energy use is generally reported because most of them do not involve trade or taxation goods or official employment.

The situation in Central Asia is that although all countries in the region have a high or very high level of human development level and a wide range of power supply, the use rate of traditional energy is still very high. In Kazakhstan, 30% of families burn coal or wood to warm. House coal -fired is one of the main sources of air pollution of Kazakhstan, especially in winter. Gilgis's situation is worse. Half of the country in the country rely on burning coal or feces in winter. Due to indoor air pollution, Kilgis's lung disease mortality is the highest in the world. In Tajikistan, many families relied on burning coal, feces and wood to warm in winter, but lack accurate data on the proportion of families.

Although the World Bank and foreign aid donors can provide funds for renewable energy, few funds can help countries from using the energy use of health to the use of health to natural gas such as natural gas. This is because the World Bank and the Seventh -way Group State stopped all funding for fossil fuel energy in 2021. Due to the extremely cold climate in the region in the region, other renewable energy sources are not a realistic choice to meet most energy demand in Central Asia. Kazakhstan is one of the coldest countries in the world, six months in winter. In most parts of Kazakh and most of Central Asia, reliable and affordable heating is necessary for basic survival.

Rich western countries believe that by rejecting fossil fuels, they can force people to use renewable energy. However, the case of Central Asia shows that when renewable energy prices are expensive, unreliable, or cannot meet their geographical demand (such as heating), people will face the danger of traditional energy and cannot obtain a safer form of energy.

The International Energy Administration's report on the traditional heating of Kazakhs shows that heat pumps can help people get cleaner energy. This shows that many first world energy institutions are disconnected from people's real life. Despite the risk of health, many people in Central Asia still continue to burn coal or wood at home because it is cheaper and reliable than electricity. Although people in rich countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom have a very low ratio of the installation of heat pumps, the poor in Central Asia did not even dream of this nature.

However, Central Asia has a large number of natural gas resources, and the western kind people would rather leave it underground. But increasing the use of natural gas is the only feasible choice to help Central Asians reduce traditional energy dependence. Natural gas supply has reliable and affordable potential. Obtaining new natural gas supply will greatly help improve public health in Central Asia and reduce pollution.

Examples of Central Asia show that the West has completely banned the development of fossil fuel development and the unexpected consequences brought by the cleaner natural gas with more serious fuels such as coal and petroleum. It also reminds people that “regeneration” energy does not always mean health energy. For many countries such as Central Asia, the lack of natural gas funds will not drive people to the world driven by wind or solar, but let them rely on burning coal and feces.

Brenda Shever is a teacher of the US Naval Graduate School.

Svante E. Cornell is co -founder and director of the Institute of Security and Development Policy. He is the director of the Central Asia-Caucasian Institute and the Silk Road Research Program. The plan is a joint center for ISDP and the US Foreign Policy Commission (AFPC).

This article was originally published by RealcLearenergy and provided through RealcleArware.

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