The Renewable Energy Sector in North Africa
Access to energy is a strategic priority in all regions of the world. Even today, nearly 1.6 billion people do not have access to modern energy and three billion people depend on “traditional biomass” and coal as their main source of fuel. Lack of access to clean, affordable and reliable energy (the energy sector is responsible for two thirds of greenhouse gas emissions), is a brake on human and economic development; it is a major obstacle to achieving the Millennium Development Goals.
Recognizing the importance of energy for sustainable development and the fight against poverty, the General Assembly of the United Nations proclaimed 2012 as the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All in Resolution 65/151. The UN “Sustainable Energy for All” initiative set three main goals for 2030:
- Universal access to modern energy services;
- A 40% reduction in world energy intensity;
- A 30% increase in use of renewable energy in the world.
Achieving these objectives is all the more urgent as today there are 7 billion people on our planet and by 2050 world population should rise to 9.5 billion inhabitants, leading to an explosion in energy needs.
