Targets
Agenda 2, (Chapter 14, No.14.95 c), (1992):
'Intensify research and the development, diversification and conservation of energy, taking into account the need for efficient use and environmentally sound technology.'
World Summit on Sustainable Development, Plan of Implementation (II.8), (2002):
'Take joint actions and improve efforts to work together at all levels to improve access to reliable and affordable energy services for sustainable development sufficient to facilitate the achievement of the millennium development goals, including the goal of halving the proportion of people in poverty by 2015.'
Deployment of hydropower
This table shows the current and projected deployment of hydropower throughout the world. It is set to expand in all regions, in particular in Africa, Asia and Latin America, where the potential for development is greatest.
| Location |
Market area |
Current deployment in 1995 (TWh/year) |
Estimated deployment in 2010 (TWh/year) |
| World |
Large hydro
Small hydro
Total hydro |
2,265
115
2,380 |
3,990
220
4,210 |
| EU + EFTA |
Large hydro
Small hydro
Total hydro |
401.5
40
441.5 |
443
50
493 |
| CEE |
Large hydro
Small hydro
Total hydro |
57.5
4.5
62 |
83
16
99 |
| CIS |
Large hydro
Small hydro
Total hydro |
160
4
164 |
388
12
400 |
| NAFTA |
Large hydro
Small hydro
Total hydro |
635
18
653 |
685
25
710 |
| OECD Pacific |
Large hydro
Small hydro
Total hydro |
131
0.7
131.7 |
138
3
141 |
| Mediterranean |
Large hydro
Small hydro
Total hydro |
35.5
0.5
36 |
72
0.7
72.7 |
| Africa |
Large hydro
Small hydro
Total hydro |
65,4
1,6
67 |
147
3
150 |
| Middle East |
Large hydro
Small hydro
Total hydro |
24,8
0.2
25 |
49
1
50 |
| Asia |
Large hydro
Small hydro
Total hydro |
291
42
333 |
1,000
100
1,100 |
| Latin America |
Large hydro
Small hydro
Total hydro |
461.5
3.5
465 |
990
10
1,000 |
| * EU + EFTA = European Union and European Free Trade Association; CEE = Central and Eastern Europe; Mediterranean = Turkey, Cyprus, Gibraltar, Malta; CIS = ex-USSR countries; OECD Pacific = Australia, Japan, New Zealand; NAFTA = United States, Canada, Mexico. Asia = all Asia excluding former USSR.
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[Source]: Extracted from the Executive Summary of the WWDR. Water Power and Dam Construction, 1995. Assistance Programme. International Water Power and Dam Construction Handbook. Surrey, Sutton Publishing. International Journal on Hydropower and Dams, 1997. 1997 Atlas of Hydropower and Dams. Sutton, Aqua-Media International Ltd.
World energy demand, especially for electricity, will increase greatly during this 21st century, not only because of demographic pressures, but also because of improved living standards, urban and industrial growth, and rising expectations.
Access to energy and basic needs
- Some 2 billion people have no access to electricity at all.
- Some 1 billion people use electricity from uneconomic sources.
- Some 2.5 billion people in developing countries, mainly in rural areas, have little access to commercial energy services.
- More than 2 million children died from acute respiratory disease in 2000; 60% of these deaths were associated with indoor air pollution and other environmental factors.
 Biomass fuels and coal
- 3 billion people worldwide rely on biomass fuels and coal for cooking and heating.
- Biomass accounts for 80% of all household consumption in developing countries.
- 800 million people depend on biomass as their source of fuel.
Distribution of energy in rural areas
- 85% of energy used by households (cooking and heating)
- 2 to 8% of energy used for agriculture (to power mechanical equipment and irrigation pump-sets)
- 2 to 10% of commercial energy (electricity and kerosene) used for lighting.
World distribution of hydropower
- Hydropower is the most important and widely-used renewable source of energy.
- Hydropower represents 19% of total electricity production.
- Canada is the largest producer of hydroelectricity, followed by the United States and Brazil.
- Approximately two-thirds of the economically feasible potential remains to be developed. Untapped hydro resources are still abundant in Latin America, Central Africa, India and China.
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Advantages and disadvantages of hydropower
- Hydropower plays a major role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions: developing ½ of the world's economically feasible hydropower potential could reduce greenhouse gases emissions by about 13%.
- The main negative impacts of dams construction include displacement of local population and ecosystems degradation (biodiversity and wetlands loss, proliferation of invasive species).
Definitions
Biomass: The totality of organic non-fossil material of biological origin. For example, plants and animals are biomass, as are the materials they produce, such as animal droppings and wood.
Hydropower: Electricity generation using the power of falling water, through dams and reservoirs. |
Most of this information is based on figures provided by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the World Energy Council (WEC).
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UNESCO.ORG
