Use clean tech or face runaway global warming, says IEA chief

New Delhi, Jan 25 (UNI) Making a strong case for adoption of clean technologies, Executive director of International Energy Agency(IEA) Claude Mandil said that optimum use of these technologies already available can significantly arrest greenhouse gas emissions responsible for global warming, and reverse the trend by 2050.

However, persisting with conventional technologis would result in runaway global warming in less than 50 years, said Mr Mandil.

''The choice before the world could not have been clearer--switch to newer, cleaner technologies now to ease pressure on the planet's climate, or contiunue with a business-as-usual mindset and be prepared for runaway global warming,'' he said.

The IEA chief was speaking at the Seventh Delhi Sustainable Summit which concluded here yesterday. His was the keynote address at the seminar titled 'The Global Energy Challenge: Technology Scenario for a Sustainable Future'.

He said three Es--energy security, environment protection, and economic growth were three requisites of sustainability.

However, the current growth pattern was contributing to greehouse gas emissions and resulting in the major countries's increased dependence on energy imports.

This scenario was going to hurt lon-term economic growth as climate change caused by greenhouse gas emissions was going to place great stress on the food security and natural resources.

According to IEA scenario for the future, the world was on a path completely unsustainable, with a projected 85 per cent energy coming from fossil fuels in 2050.That would mean a sharp rise in global emissions.

But, Mr Mandil said, if the world dedicates more resources, research and commitments to new technologies to increase energy efficiency, introduces cost-effective renewables, and applies carbon capture and sequestration technology, emission levels in 2050 would be the same as they were in 2003.

The Summit this year was organised on the theme of 'Meeting the MDGs: Exploring the Natural Resource Dimension.

It explored what mechanisms can be designed for leveraging natural resources towards poverty alleviation in sustainable manner, and whether natural resource degradation was threatening to offset other initiative aimed at poverty alleviation.

UNI