Track II: Environment, Natural Resources and International Development

Two billion people, or roughly one third of humanity, still lack access to modern energy services such as heat, light and mechanical power, all of which are integral to economic development. Employing sustainable energy technologies to increase access to these services has proven beneficial to poor, underdeveloped communities by improving livelihoods and generating sources of income. In addition to the significant environmental benefits associated with sustainable energy technologies, cleaner technologies are often the most cost-effective solutions in remote, rural areas. In the case of electricity, for example, conventional grid-extension can be prohibitively expensive. Moreover, studies indicate that poor energy consumers have a high willingness and ability to pay for these technologies given the proper financial mechanisms. If the provision of modern energy services through sustainable energy technology creates a potential win-win solution for the environment, the private sector as well as poor, rural energy consumers, why haven’t more projects succeeded? Which economic, financial and policy barriers exist to successful implementation of profitable rural energy programs? What is the role of government, multi-lateral institutions, and the private sector? What are the important lessons to be learned from past rural energy efforts and how can we make projects more self-sufficient in the future? Lastly, what creative solutions can we employ to improve access to energy services in underdeveloped countries?

As a source of economic growth, natural resources are traditionally viewed as assets which can be collected, sold and consumed, and not as assets themselves. Land, a natural resource is an economic asset unto itself. Some posit that lack of formal land markets is a major hindrance to economic development in the developing world. Land markets allow secure identity of land ownership at transparent prices which can be used as collateral for investments and spur entrepreneurial activity. Land Markets also allow for better protection of unsustainable natural resources, and give increased value to protecting those natural resources, through conservation systems such as national parks or reserves. Further land markets can be seen as a way to preserve cultural heritage. Land markets are essential to economic development. Creating such markets, however, can be a long, complex, politically charged process, especially where most land is untitled and where there are conflicting claims. This panel will outline some of the major challenges created by malfunctioning land markets, and offer insights to various projects that are currently being implemented in various countries in the developing world, like India, Peru and Thailand and the challenges that lay ahead.

Access to safe drinking water is one of the important elements for sustainable development and poverty reduction. Today, nearly 1.1 billion people around the world have no access to safe drinking water. At the world summit on sustainable development held in Johannesburg in 2000, a commitment has been made to halve by 2015 the proportion of people without access to safe drinking water. The magnitude of the access gap and cost to achieve the same is considerable. Even though there is a consensus to achieve the same, the question of “how” is still open to debate. Can Public – Private – Partnership, among other initiatives contribute in achieving this development goal? What has been the experience till date? Are PPPs opposed to the goal of social equity or can they be used to achieve the same? What are the critical success factors in design of an effective Public Private Partnership?

When, if ever, have shared environmental concerns over shared resources brought potentially hostile countries closer together? When have they created a space for peaceful negotiations? How can countries that cooperate and come together to manage shared water resources?
As natural resources become scarcer, are we doomed to a future of war? Are there take home lessons from success stories that can be applied to all natural resource and environmental issues that affect multiple countries?