Energy And Environmental Outlook For South Asia

South Asia constitutes a key geography in the world today considering its large population and related daunting energy and environmental challenges. Many countries in the region are faced with a growing gap between energy demand and local resources, resulting in an increased dependence on imports. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the energy demand in South Asia will grow at a rate more than double that of the world average in the coming decades. This book addresses the critical subject of energy and environmental outlook for South Asia and presents the wider challenges and the responses at the national and regional level. Features: Discusses and addresses the ongoing energy and environmental challenges faced by almost a quarter of the global population Includes dedicated chapters for each country and presents analysis and recommendations by regional experts Examines how deteriorating air quality and persistent natural disasters are severe environmental challenges for the region Discusses the implications of global warming and climate change for South Asia Includes practical case studies throughout Energy and Environmental Outlook for South Asia will benefit a wide range of stakeholders from various fields including but not limited to energy, environment, economics, national security, and sustainable development. It also serves as a valuable resource for academics, researchers, analysts, policymakers, and representatives of utilities, industry, professional bodies, financial institutions, think tanks, and developmental organizations to better plan their initiatives, activities, and policies. It will help countries in the region and also those around the world by learning from shared experience, and ideally by collaborating for energy and environmental prosperity.

With South Asia's growing energy demand, governments in the region are facing the short-term pressures of facilitating energy access, while attempting to formulate long-term sustainable strategies. This book explores how the key economies of South Asia are addressing issues such as the diversification of energy consumption profiles and import sources, investments in renewables, enabling universal energy access, challenges to regional energy cooperation, greenhouse gas emissions and climate change, and the policy changes that can foster bilateral and multilateral action.As governments seek to ensure access to affordable, reliable, secure, sustainable and modern energy, trends and drivers are emerging and shaping the South Asian energy landscape. The first section of the book examines energy trends at the regional level, while the second section focuses on the internal and external challenges faced by India — the largest energy consumer in the region and the third-largest energy consumer in the world.The diverse perspectives in this volume provide a holistic snapshot of South Asia's ongoing low-carbon energy transition, and highlight the importance of the region working collectively to navigate the many obstacles.

Energy security has become a central concern for all the countries in the Asian region and the search for sufficient sources of energy to fuel economic growth has drastically influenced relations among the South Asian countries as well as their respective relations with their neighbours China, Myanmar, Iran, and Afghanistan. The recent nuclear deal between India and the US is also indicative of how energy and power politics are linked and how these new inter-linkages underlie relations between states. This book aims to give a South Asian perspective on the geopolitics of energy, with a central focus on India. The chapters address how India's global and regional foreign policy making has changed in light of India's search for energy and how this is affecting the relationship on a global level between India and the US, as well as on a regional level between India and the other Asian countries. The book also offers views from Pakistan and Bangladesh, as well as how this shifting reality is affecting relations between India and Southeast Asia.

Economic growth and burgeoning populations have put South Asia's energy security in a perilous state. Already energy and power shortages are stunting development in some of the region's least developed locations spurring political insurgences and social dislocation. Should this trend continue, Ebinger argues the Subcontinent will face dire economic, social and political crises. In Energy and Security in South Asia, Brookings ESI director Charles Ebinger, a long-time adviser to South Asian governments, lays out the current regional energy picture arguing that the only way to achieve sustainable energy security is through regional collaboration both within the subcontinent as well as with regional neighbors in the Middle East and Central and Southeast Asia, Dr. Ebinger commences by illustrating the present-day energy environment in each nation as well as the obstacles governments confront in addressing them. Among the issues examined are: (1) the technical strains that near double-digit economic growth are putting on India's dilapidated power infrastructure, (2) the economic costs the country is incurring by increasing reliance on the Middle East for oil and gas resources; (3) the prospects for expanded wind, solar, energy efficiency and nuclear power generation in India to help reduce the nation's growing carbon footprint as it accelerates the use of coal; (4) the implications of Pakistan's expanded use of coal; (5) an analysis of how poor energy pricing systems are bringing about an energy shortage throughout the region (6) an examination of how strains in Indo/Bengali relations threaten the construction of vital regional energy infrastructure projects; (7) a discussion of how continued political upheaval in Nepal is causing power shortages of up to 20 hours per day; and (8), an analysis of how hydropower development is fuelling Bhutan's "Gross National Happiness" campaign. In addition to individual domestic concerns, each nation shares a crisi

Notwithstanding global growth weakness and financial pressures, growth in South Asia is expected to remain robust, supported by slower fiscal consolidation than in other EMDEs, strong public investment, and a recovery as financial stress has subsided. Policy challenges include, in the short-term, preserving financial stability and restoring fiscal sustainability and, in the long-term, rekindling investment, and managing an energy transition. Currently, the energy intensity of South Asian economies is almost twice the global average—despite a decline over the past two decades that was almost entirely driven by firm-level, within-sector cuts in energy intensity. The potential benefit of regulatory policies, information interventions, and financial support to help accelerate the diffusion of these technologies, as well as the possibility that these could also lend broader support for countries' development objectives. The transition away from fossil fuels may have considerable labor market impacts. A wide range of policies, including better access to high-quality education, finance, and markets; improved labor mobility; and strengthened social safety nets, will be needed to facilitate the adjustment in labor markets while protecting vulnerable workers.

The contributors to this book review the environmental problems created by rising energy demand, and examine their impact on the oil industry especially in the Asia-Pacific region where future demand for oil is projected to increase the most. Policy options to minimize energy-related environmental problems are discussed. The contributors also address these questions: • What are the economic implications of emission control to developing countries, and the process, mechanism and constraints for multilateral agreement on the reduction of pollutants, particularly greenhouse gases • Within the broader context of oil price volatility, why has environmental concern created a need for dialogue between oil producers and consumers?

This book examines the relation between energy and politics in South Asia and explores the geopolitics surrounding energy security in the region. Analyzing energy security and the scramble for resources in South Asia, the book highlights the important role of energy in light of the rapid economic growth of South Asian countries. The book analyzes the current energy security status of the countries in South Asia, their strengths and weaknesses, and the policies that need to be implemented in order to ensure their energy security. Focusing on Bangladesh as a case study, the author argues that the country is geographically important both in respect to its energy resources and as an energy hub. The author applies a novel analytical framework to measure the energy security of the region and examines the role of the US and China in this geopolitical scenario. A new assessment of energy security issues and the geopolitical aspect of energy security, this book will be of interest to researchers in the fields of energy studies and security, International Relations, South Asian Studies and Asian Politics.

This regional market analysis examines the challenges of economic and population growth, the need to boost energy supply, and growing environmental and energy security concerns.