National Workshop on Developing National Roadmap to Achieve SDG7 Goal

Goal 7 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has three clear and distinct targets – (a) by 2030, ensure universal access to affordable, reliable, and modern energy services, (b) increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix by 2030, and (c) double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency by 2030. Transitioning the energy sector to 2030 is expected to be an extremely complex and difficult task for policymakers as the transition would need to ensure a sustained economic growth, respond to increasing energy demand, reduce emissions and, more importantly, consider the interlinkages between SDG7 and other SDGs. In pursuant to the recommendations made in the recent ministerial declaration, ESCAP is working on to develop a national energy transition planning tool NEXSTEP (National Expert SDG Tool for Energy Planning). It aims to its assist member States in making informed decisions in transforming the energy sector to achieve Agenda for 2030, SDG7 and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

The 26 million population of Nepal (Census 2011) is growing at 1.3% according to the Central Bureau of Statistics. Growth in consumption of commercial energy (11.8%) has substantially out grown the population growth. Electricity, petroleum products, coal and renewable energy (biogas, solar PV and Micro-hydro) consumptions grew at 9.4%, 11.8%, 13.9% and 7.1%, respectively, in the last decade (2008-18). The growth in the supply of commercial and renewable energy is driven by factors like rapid urbanisation, dwindling biomass resources and increase in income due to remittance, improved supply and awareness, and other economic activities. As a result, substantial amount of substitution of traditional biomass energies is taking place, which occupied more than 75% share in total primary energy supply in previous decades. Since traditional biomass energy are non-monetised, the true consumption and substitutions are hard to pin-point based on present sporadic sample surveys. Nonetheless, higher growth in commercial energy supply, slow pace of economic growth and population growth numbers indicate towards a massive shift in energy consumption from traditional biomass, mainly in the residential sector. Determining more accurate extent of substitution and other energy information will be key to an effective planning and monitoring SDG 7 and NDCs and call for a serious and comprehensive research and study.

This workshop was jointly organised by the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation (MoEWRI) and the National Planning Commission. It aimed to gather country relevant information on SDG7 and NDCs, including status and 2030 targets, and initiated a consultative process to explain and discuss the tool and its features with stakeholders. This consultation process would enhance the quality of the tool by shaping it in a way that is useful for stakeholders and provide a sense of ownership for end users of this product.

Speakers of the opening session included the Honorable Minister for the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation (MoEWRI); Member of the National Planning Commission; Secretary of MoEWRI; Chairperson of the Electricity Regulatory Commission; Joint Secretary of MoWRI, UNDP Resident Representative of Nepal and the Section Chief of the Energy Division of ESCAP.

The workshop included a number of presentations by the delegates from public agencies and the private sector. The participants also participated in thematic breakout sessions to discuss and plan for achieving SDG7 targets and NDCs.