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Access to electricity is a keystone of modern society and socioeconomic development, but there are different ways of getting there, and they have vastly different impacts and ripple effects at the nexus of society, economy and environment. As opposed to the centralized and mass-produced, Industrial Era electricity grids that have come to characterize our energy infrastructure, policies that foster development of distributed, clean and renewable energy systems afford developing and developed countries substantial advantages and benefits that address these challenges.

Significant strides in providing access to clean, renewable electricity are being made across Central America, but financing large-scale, grid-connected renewable energy projects continues to pose significant challenges to Central America's governments and private sector. Moreover, taking this energy development path doesn't address the problem of providing last-mile connectivity, a particularly salient point given the size of these countries rural populations.

In a June 2012 Worldwatch Institute blog post, Allie Goldstein highlights the cross-cutting benefits fostering small-scale, distributed renewable energy systems can have across the region and beyond.

Sustainable energy for all

Building utility-scale solar, wind and geothermal projects and large grid infrastructure has been deemed the most efficient and fastest route to provide access to electricity, but this approach also creates social, economic and environmental problems that have come to be well recognized. Rapid urbanization and migration from rural areas is putting tremendous strains on the capacity of government, the private sector and ecosystems across Central America. Contributing significantly to urbanization are centralized, mass-produced power generation systems, which effectively act as a magnet for migration to cities and urban areas.

Solar, wind, geothermal and other renewable energy systems are sprouting up across Central America, while construction of the region-wide SIEPAC electricity grid is nearly complete, developments that fall right in line with UN Secretary General Ban-ki Moon's Sustainable Energy for All initiative, the Worldwatch Institute noted in June 2012 blog post. As of the end of November, the Central America electricity grid was 99.5% complete.

Progess notwithstanding, an estimated 7.7 million Central Americans have limited access to electricity, relying on traditional biomass for energy, Goldstein points out.

“Though this model has facilitated a dramatic increase in electrification in Central America, 'last-kilometer' electrification makes little economic sense in areas where people's ability to pay for energy remains low. In extreme cases, if users can’t afford a replacement, electrification initiatives effectively have the lifespan of a single light bulb.

“Projects that pair income generation with power generation illustrate how off-grid rural electrification initiatives might be financially self-sustained.”

Nicaragua's PERZA program

Worldwatch holds up Nicaragua's Off-grid Rural Electrification Program (PERZA), funded in the main by the World Bank, as an example. As Goldstein notes, PERZA adds a twist that addressed one prominent obstacle to fostering adoption of local, distributed renewable energy systems: how to make the electricity produced affordable for community members with little in the way of disposable income.

Installation of mini hydropower systems and solar battery charging stations are subsidized through PERZA. The crucial twist comes with a microfinance scheme that offers small business loans and training to rural residents so that they can start businesses and generate the additional income they need to spend on access to electricity.

PERZA concluded at year-end 2011, but its success is clearly evident: 6,863 rural Nicaraguan households gained access to electricity via solar photovoltaic (PV) home energy systems. In addition, seven solar PV charging stations and four mini-hydro power systems were built.

PERZA also was successful in stimulating sustainable local entrepreneurial and business activity. More than 3,000 rural residents participated in PERZA program workshops and meetings. Forty-three business plans were developed, and 10 microfinance institutions now offer loans for rural electrification, according to Worldwatch's report.

As Goldstein highlights, “According to the 2012 Climate Scope report, Nicaragua now has the highest level of green microfinance penetration in Latin America and the Caribbean, with 10 institutions offering green microfinance loans to thousands of low-income borrowers.

“Only time will tell whether the advent of microfinance helps sustain rural energy systems in Nicaragua for decades, but PERZA is an early example of a national-level attempt at integrating electrification with bottom-up small business development.”\

*Photo: Credit Panama Office of Rural Electrification

The author of this post is the winner of Masdar's Water-Energy Nexus Blogging contest and will be guest posting on TriplePundit during the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi.

By Dallas Blaney

Few places in the world are as accustomed to change as Abu Dhabi. In just forty years, this once isolated village on the Persian Gulf has become a modern bustling city and a burgeoning global tourist destination. Today, concert promoters here book big time acts like Madonna and Eminem, the Formula 1 Grand Prix roars through its streets, and an evening stroll down the Corniche reveals a breathtaking view of twisting skyscrapers set against a crisp blue desert sky. In Abu Dhabi, it seems that the passion for change has simply become a defining feature of life and local identity.

Unfortunately, all of this change comes at a high price. Abu Dhabi currently has the dubious distinction of having one of the highest per capita rates of energy consumption in the world. Recent projections suggest that the Emirate faces a further doubling of energy demands over the next decade. To meet these demands, it has relied almost exclusively on traditional sources of power generation, especially natural gas. However, it seems that mounting evidence of the environmental and economic costs of these traditional systems have convinced the political class to consider making the shift to alternative energy sources.

So once again it seems that Abu Dhabi is braced for yet another transformation, only this time the change involves something much more base, something more fundamental than an urban development scheme or a highway construction project. Put simply, this change involves the reconfiguration and diversification of its energy portfolio. And if recent activity is a reliable bellwether, all signs thus far suggest that Abu Dhabi will likely rise to the occasion.

Perhaps the most promising sign is the Emirate's development of a $600 million concentrated solar power station in the remote village of Madinat Zayed. This 741 acre facility, named Shams 1, features a unique combination of solar and natural gas power generation systems, which, when completed, will produce enough energy to power 20,000 homes. This first of a kind system uses solar radiation to produce steam, which is then superheated by natural gas furnaces to yield turbine engine outputs of up to 100 megawatts.

Not only will this project help immensely to satisfy compounding domestic energy demands but it may also yield a commercially viable energy technology system. When compared to a comparable traditional power generation system, this technology yields 175,000 fewer tons of carbon dioxide, which is roughly equivalent to the savings achieved by planting 1.5 million trees or removing 30,000 cars from the road. Once the system is up and running, this achievement will likely position Abu Dhabi among the foremost world leaders in renewable technology development and deployment.

Ultimately, Abu Dhabi's greatest attribute has been and always will be its extraordinary ability and willingness to adapt to new conditions. Given the recent inaction in Washington and elsewhere, let us all hope that Abu Dhabi continues to pursue the development of renewable energy technology. Such technology is not just good news for the people of Abu Dhabi, but it is good news for people everywhere who desire to live in a more verdant and healthy environment.

Ed Note: Travel expenses for the Author and TriplePundit were provided by Masdar.

By Bonnie Hulkower

I used to be ignorant about the origin of my morning cup of Joe.  The specialty coffee craze has been going on for years, but I honestly wasn’t paying attention to labels like fair trade or organic or even if the coffee I drank tasted good. I just wanted it to wake me up. (After enough sugar and cream I find most things taste delicious). But my eyes got truly opened after a recent trip to Guatemala, where Rainforest Alliance set out to demonstrate that coffee quality and sustainable farming do go hand-in-hand. Their Cupping for Quality program, now in its 10th year, only bolstered this notion.

The cuppings are like wine tastings, except with spoons and slurpings. There is a winter cupping in December in Long Beach, California and a spring cupping in March in New York City. The top ten scorers for both cuppings will receive awards at the annual SCAA Exposition held in Boston in April.

I attended the one in Long Beach where cuppers sampled a total of 51 coffees from nine origins, including the first sample from Malawi.  I had never been to a cupping, so I was not sure what to expect.

The hostess asked if I wanted to participate.  After some hesitation, I grabbed a spoon and jumped in. That was where I made my first mistake; coffee at a cupping is always allowed to cool slightly as subtleties in taste can best be discerned when the coffee is not piping hot.  After this, I watched as the experts sniffed, slurped and spat.  They coached me on how to inhale deeply and take a big whiff, how to break the crust of the coffee with a back of the spoon, and how to distinguish the body, acidity, and aroma of the various coffees.

This is the coffee industry’s basic method of  evaluating the beans for quality.  A panel of 15 expert cuppers, representing North American coffee importers, roasters, and retailers, evaluated the profile of each coffee, evaluating each for aroma, acidity, uniformity and balance. Samples were roasted and prepared by Ted Vautrinot and Shawn Anderson of Kean Coffee and Andrew Phillips of Rose Park Roasters. Shawn Hamilton of Java City was the Lead Cupper.

After each country cupping, the cuppers communed around a large table to discuss their score sheets and all the intimate details of the flavors.  Although I was told there “are no wrong answers,” the group as a whole seemed to agree on the descriptions. The sample from Malawi was deemed “underdeveloped,” and one cupper defined it as “there was no there, there.” A coffee from Tanzania was hailed for its “pleasant fruitiness and uniformity.” One from the forests of Papa New Guinea was described as “overripe and fermented.” A sample from Kenya was very popular, even though the descriptions of “brothy” and “vegetal” made it sound more like soup to me.

This year, farms in Kenya, Peru, and Colombia earned top scores.  The highest rank, with 87.1 points, went to the Ndumberi Factory, a cooperative of small farmers in Kenya. Ndumberi is unique in that it has its own wet mill with a cupping lab. The lab allows cooperative members to analyze taste, and focus on quality control. Rainforest Alliance announced the top ten scoring coffees this week.

Maya Albanese, a sustainable agriculture associate with the Rainforest Alliance, said that it was “the most successful cupping yet” for the organization, noting that she’s “seen the quality of the cups and the enthusiasm of top national coffee cuppers increase dramatically.” The top ten scoring coffees were announced this week in a press release from the Alliance.
Rainforest Alliance’s certification seems to take on a holistic approach by encompassing many of the standards from other eco-label and green certification programs-- environmental, wildlife, and fair labor rubrics. Rainforest Alliance also certifies coffee farms in Central America based on standards set by the Sustainable Agriculture Network. They’re concerned with factors like safe working conditions, giving back to the communities, worker education, lowering agrochemical use, waste management, wildlife protection and ecosystem and water conservation. But whether you are an adherent of Rainforest Alliance, or Fair Trade, or prefer the Direct Trade model, it was made clear to me by my cupper instructors that they believed that treating the environment well often results in higher quality coffee beans.  They also seemed to prefer shade grown coffee.

One of the cuppers, Jay Isais, Senior Director of Coffee at Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, told me “that while none of the certification programs is perfect, Rainforest Alliance is one that provides for social, environmental, and ecological considerations.” Isais’s job as a coffee buyer (and Q Grader) is to select certified coffees that also meet his company’s high standards for taste. After the cupping, Isais stated that he is “now convinced that the Rainforest Alliance model is compatible with high quality coffee.”

After years of clueless consumption, my visit to the coffee farms in Guatemala and attendance at the Rainforest Alliance cupping have been quite the revelation. The choices we all make concerning coffee may seem bewildering, considering the variety of special labels and certifications available. And there’s always more to learn about varieties of beans and whether they’ve been grown sustainably. Though on the basic level, Rainforest Alliance’s certification and cupping programs reinforced that the choices I make for the cup of coffee I buy on my way to work can make a difference ecologically, all the while tasting great, too.

The top ten scoring coffees:

Ndumberi Factory	Kenya	87.41
Tunki	Peru	86.91
El Silencio - Luis Fernando Arias Alzate	Colombia	86.88
Tegu Factory	Kenya	86.09
Quechua	Peru	86.00
Santo Tomas 2; Eibar Jose Rojas Pajoy	Colombia	85.44
Gichatha-ini Factory	Kenya	85.18
Ibonia Estate	Kenya	84.46
Coop Sol & Café	Peru	84.25
Yadini Estate	Kenya	84.23

 

image credits: Bonnie Hulkower

Well, sort of. At the time this was written they were merely turned around.

In a bizarre snafu that has managed to offend many customers who have maxed out their credit cards by shopping in their overpriced stores, the retailer Anthropologie pulled a line of tacky $400 candlesticks that many media outlets and bloggers described as racist.

After a rash of blistering coverage from BuzzFeed to Huffington Post, the company decided to quell the outrage by taking the candlesticks off of its site. Well, not really. Even though the products are no longer available on Anthropologie.com, the pictures are still on the website--the catch is that the offending candlesticks are turned around so that no one can see the black “mammy” figurine that at one time was a Washington D.C. souvenir.

The results have been a public relations nightmare for Anthropologie--an awful gift that relentlessly keeps on giving. First, the company sent out a pallid announcement that threw the “independent artisan” who designed these candlesticks under the bus. Anthropologie’s communications department claimed that only two were “extremely inappropriate” and removed them from their website. The only problem is that while they are no longer for sale while Anthropologie’s HR department dials for an emergency cultural sensitivity course, someone monitoring the website only turned the candlesticks around.

Naturally there has been a rather noisy outcry on the company’s Facebook page, which the company chooses to ignore in favor of promoting items such as its Geo Burnout Velvet Dress and Puckered Placket Pullover. Customers have not been impressed; in fact, the more money they have spent at the store the more offended they appear to be. And as with the case with Safeway last May, sparks like this light a fire that spotlights other issues: Anthropologie’s customers are hashing out customer service complaints, and the fact their models are overwhelmingly white.

The whole racist candlesticks episode, to paraphrase Anthropologie, is quite “unfortunate.” The company has supported social enterprise efforts in the past, such as working with artisans in Rwanda who made hand-knitted scarves. Yes, real artisans--not an “artisan” who decided a figurine kebab of a black mammy, a JFK bell (Caroline Kennedy is ticked, I'm sure) and an “Asian” knickknack that looks as if it was lifted from Disneyland’s It’s a Small World ride. The two-foot high candlesticks were already a case study of a hot glue gun craft project gone awry; now some poor thrift shop buying decisions and dubious quality control has gotten a company in hot water. This may end up as a case where the cover up, or turn around, is worse than the original crime.

Leon Kaye, based in Fresno, California, is a sustainability consultant and the editor of GreenGoPost.com. He also contributes to Guardian Sustainable Business; his work has also appeared on Sustainable Brands, Inhabitat and Earth911. You can follow Leon and ask him questions on Twitter or Instagram (greengopost).

Image credit: Anthropologie

This post originally appeared on Future 500 blog.

By Future 500 staff

Future 500 has identified the Top 10 issues that activists and corporations will likely contend with this year. A growing number of consumer and activist groups is working on each issue demanding more sustainable solutions. Corporations need to understand the activist landscape and they need to identify key stakeholders.

1. Corporate climate silence

Our number one issue for 2011 (following the failure to pass the Waxman-Markey bill), climate, was off the agenda in the run-up to the 2012 presidential election. But now the issue is being elevated again among groups who wish to “out” companies regarding their position on climate as part of the discussion on the fiscal cliff and economic reform. Bill McKibben’s Do the Math tour is the most notable related campaign, but this movement is broad and comprehensive in its critique of so-called “extreme” energy, and is long-term in nature.

2. Fracking: Energy vs. water

At the local level, battles continue to rage between grassroots activists concerned about water contamination and health impacts, and the oil and gas industry, eager to market an abundant source of domestic energy. While many groups are trying to settle the science underpinning these fears, the conflict is spilling over into more states with climate concerns caught in the crossfire. Matt Damon’s Promised Land film will elevate this issue in early 2013 with the left and the right leveraging the film to advance their interests.

3. EPA regulations

With the lack of a comprehensive energy policy, especially one that addresses carbon emissions, activists will be aggressive in defending and expanding the EPA’s ability to regulate emissions, to expand renewables, increase energy efficiency and decrease pollution. This path is the “easy, short-term win” for the environmental movement to force the internalization of externalities.

4. Infrastructure disruption

With last year's unanticipated success in delaying the Keystone XL project, activists are more readily trying to find ways to block energy transport and development. In the absence of a national energy policy that regulates carbon, interrupting the movement of energy through pipelines, ports and railways will be a core tactic to increase risk and costs to develop “dirty energy.”

5. GMO no go

The elections in 2012 brought the GMO issue to the fore, as many in the food movement rallied behind California's Prop 37, which would have required companies to label their products containing GMOs. A large, industry-funded anti-prop 37 campaign derailed passage of the proposition, so expect the movement to turn their attention to individual companies, as they recently did in targeting General Mills’ Cheerios brand via social media. This is a long-standing, mature  global movement where activists are confident that public opinion is on their side.

6. Digital freedom

This is THE campaign of the emerging generation. Any attempt by a company or government to limit a free and open Internet will be met with steep and mounting resistance. This issue fuels online grassroots activism like no other as it transcends all global geographies and appeals across ideological boundaries. Led by opinion leaders such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and Access Now, the community is vigilant in defending a human right to a free and open Internet.

7. Procurement power

From toxics to human rights, corporate campaigns to set procurement standards on social and environmental issues are increasing in frequency. Leveraging consumer power to influence large brands has helped aid activists to push for accountability in the corporate supply chain.

8. Obesity and sugar

With Michael Bloomberg's proposed tax on large sodas and sugary drinks making huge headlines in 2012 alongside Michelle Obama’s childhood obesity initiatives, health and nutrition advocates are increasingly emboldened to challenge what they perceive as corporate control of a food system that reinforces unhealthy lifestyles. Advocates are increasingly placing the food system in the context of escalating health costs at the societal level. Combined with a slew of high profile brands marketing to kids and a base of well-known, passionate advocates, this issue is ripe for activism in 2013.

9. Money in politics

Political campaign spending hit a new record this election cycle, and this new post-Citizen’s United world has advocates from the left and right decrying the effects of “crony capitalism.” Expect increasing pressure on corporations to be more transparent regarding their political giving, including both direct and indirect (e.g. associations). Fueling distrust of the corporate sector are several 2012 reports that exposed corporate political giving, showing the relationship of political giving to political outcomes.

10. Economic power

Last year, economic power was our number one issue with the advent of the Occupy Wall Street movement. While the issue has simmered somewhat, it can ignite quickly. With what seems like a settlement each week for malfeasance, most recently with HSBC for money laundering, individual companies could quickly become a target. Factor in the dialogue on tax reform and focus on increasing taxes on the wealthy, the Robin Hood narrative provides ample opportunity to propel the issue back to the top.

Future 500 is an international non-profit organization that builds alliances between adversarial stakeholders. Our staff continually analyzes and synthesizes trends we are seeing while working with the stakeholder community around the issues Energy & Climate, Water & Agriculture, Materials Stewardship, and Technological Empowerment. If you wish to learn more, visit our website.

[image credit: 350.org: Flickr cc]

By Nancy Mancilla

While conducting the GRI Certified Sustainability Reporting trainings, ISOS Group has had the great fortune of meeting sustainability champions all across the U.S. When we first started down this path four years ago, we found that the GRI Framework was largely embraced by multinational corporations headquartered on American soil. Though that is no longer the case, we continue to receive questions about the breadth of application.

In addition to a wide array of corporations, we have started to see an uptick in solely domestic enterprises, including small- to medium-sized businesses, academic institutions, public agencies within the federal sphere, state agencies and, more recently, even municipalities. Therefore, our answer is always, “Yes, GRI is applicable to organizations of all sizes and the flexibility of the framework allows organizations to tell their story and describe what exactly sustainability means for them.”

In thinking about the stories shared during our courses in 2012, one thing seems clear - we are witnessing a paradigm shift before our very eyes and it’s our belief that the story of the public agency that could, will surface much more readily over the coming year.

One of our recent speakers, Linda Glasier from the Washington Department of Ecology, put it best when describing initial hurdles her agency had to overcome in producing their first GRI report. “Public agencies factor in both commitment to mission and caution in breaking new ground when we start to discuss transparency and sustainability.”

Why is that? Our public agencies owe the populous solutions to our societal ills. The citizenry wants and needs to be part of the solution. We all want to make our states and our nation greater right? Answers to these questions lay at the very heart of sustainability principles, regardless of the framework used.  Initial steps require a sometimes new and self exploratory process to determine relevant impacts that can be addressed. Engagement is essential whether it is internal or external. Ultimately, people want to feel like their voices count.

During the same panel discussion held during our recent training just outside Portland, Cindy Dolezel, Beaverton, Oregon’s Sustainability Manager, added:

“A community is empowered when they see that the City is listening to their voices and completing actions they have requested. The City of Beaverton strives to engage with the community around sustainability issues and to emphasize the need for a holistic approach that considers the community, environment, and the economy. Through these efforts, we have gained trust from the community about the City’s approach to sustainability.”

That speaks volumes for public agencies, particularly during a time when the health of our economy and political system is not what we would like it to be.

Now, although the city of Beaverton is not currently producing a GRI-based sustainability report, they have joined the likes of other cities across the country, such as Minneapolis, San Francisco, Seattle, New York and Atlanta that instituted a sustainability framework. Beaverton has a clear understanding that collaboration and working across disciplines is essential in their efforts to move forward. Through internal collaboration, the City has managed to leverage several grants to aid in sustainability initiatives.

“Once the City had a few big wins under its belt, Beaverton started to clearly see what could be done and what was still needed. We quickly realized the need for a cohesive strategy to move toward targeted goals. To do this, we created an internal plan to integrate sustainability into City operations and day-to-day activities.”- Cindy Dolezel

The tempo at which organizations plunge into the world of sustainability, is different for each one. For Linda Glasier, she came into a project that had already been initiated. However, it was stalled. She had to quickly assume the role of mediator to help translate methodic principles between different personalities, and agencies, while uncovering the fire that would lead the agency to their goal of releasing the first ever state environmental public agency GRI report. Besides the need to meet EPA grant requirements, the agency was driven to build greater relationships with the business community that they regulate - many of which are producing GRI reports. Glasier argued, “We need to speak the same language, so that we can work together to build a better state.”

Though these reports are just as different as you and me, there are a few commonalities not only within public agencies, but across all sectors of the economy. Issues related to environmental management of energy, waste and water, labor or “ethics,” and financial health tend to be common points for public agencies. Green procurement, however, is not only the most common, it is the most influential and most widely used to manage any intuitions footprint. Like the saying, you are what you eat, in sustainability, your footprint is what you buy. How might all this sustainability activity influence the suppliers to these sorts of entities?

When looking through the crystal ball for 2013, possibilities for growth sustainability reporting from public agency action seem endless, not only among public agencies, but throughout their supply chains. Others have already pioneered this space and we can all learn from their experiences and leadership examples. Fall River, Massachusetts has just published the very first A level GRI report for a U.S. City. Linda Glasier helped spearhead the publication of the Washington State Department of Ecology’s first GRI report. The San Diego Regional Airport Authority and the Port of Los Angeles have released ground-breaking GRI reports within their sector. The U.S. Postal Service, the U.S. Army, NREL and PNNL have also been instrumental in influencing others within their value chain that have even appeared at our courses.

In closing, I’d like to leave you with a few words of advice from our recent Vancouver, Washington guest presenters.

- “This type of transformative change takes time. Use techniques like the Natural Step to determine your vision for what you want to achieve. Backcasting will help envision the steps needed to get there.” Brightworks CEO, Scott Lewis

-  “Share your successes, struggles, and future goals with the stakeholders. As you engage with people, find ways to give them ownership and listen to their voices. Every organization is different, but I encourage everyone to start big – focus internally and on engaging the community at the same time – remember your goal and understand that the process will unfold to get you there.” City of Beaverton Sustainability Manager, Cindy Dolezel

-  “Be prepared to receive mixed feedback. Acknowledge that there are lessons in all feedback.”  WA State Department of Ecology Environmental Specialist, Linda Glasier

As a lead-up to Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, January 13-17, Masdar sponsored a blogging contest called “Engage: The Water-Energy Nexus.”  The following post was the winner.

by Dallas Blaney

Although water and energy are intricately connected, this important relationship is poorly understood. While it is generally well known that water is essential to the production of energy, we nonetheless lack a detailed understanding of the quality and quantity of water used in this process (1). Conversely, we know that the treatment and distribution of water is energy intensive, yet we know very little about the energy required or how this demand has changed over time (2). Given the expectation of dramatically higher demands for energy and water over the coming years, this knowledge gap poses a significant threat to the long-term sustainability of our political,social, and economic systems.

Specialized research is, therefore, a necessary first step towards addressing the energy-water nexus. Fortunately, there are several indications that this research agenda is already taking shape. This March, the 6th World Water Forum in Marseille featured the energy-water nexus as a thematic priority within the broader context of its forum on economic development. Panel discussions on this theme focused on the potential for improved efficiency in water and energy delivery systems. However, panel discussions also revealed new research on the impacts of energy production on water quality and quantity. Two months later, a second indication of this emerging research agenda appeared with the publication of Gustaf Olsson’s new book, Water and Energy: Threats and Opportunities. This book marks the first attempt to develop a comprehensive assessment of the energy-water nexus. Substantive chapters examine the water demands for a range of energy production systems, including crude oil and hydropower.

However, Olsson also takes a surprising turn by situating the energy-water nexus within the context of food, population growth, and climate change. This shift allows Olsson to make a compelling case for expanding the scope of the research agenda, pushing scholars to place the quantitative drive for technological modernization on par with qualitative need for a change in attitudes (3).

For such a change to occur, people must first acknowledge that they have a problem. However, the mystery of the water-energy nexus extends far beyond the lofty halls and shiny boardrooms of elite decision-makers. In a recent survey, 77 percent of Americans polled could not even identify the natural source of the water used in their homes (4).

Therefore, the second step towards addressing the energy-water nexus is education. Once again, there are early indications that this initiative is already underway, only this time with non-governmental organizations like The Nature Conservancy, WWF, and Project WET leading the charge. Both The Nature Conservancy and WWF focus specifically on raising awareness within the business community. Capitalizing on their scientific expertise, these organizations have each developed water assessment tools that businesses can quickly and cheaply use to identify water-related inefficiencies and risks in their supply chains or production systems. In contrast, Project WET specializes in the creation of water-related textbooks and curricula for primary school children. Over time, these efforts have expanded beyond the U.S. to reach tens of thousands of students spread across 19 countries.

In the final analysis, there is no silver bullet for addressing the energy-water nexus; this challenge requires a comprehensive approach. As a precondition for developing such an approach, it is necessary to demystify the relationship between water and energy. Efforts to do so are already well underway. These efforts include the creation of a specialized research agenda on the energy-water nexus and grassroots campaigns to raise awareness about the severity of our water and energy challenges. However, the success of the efforts remains uncertain, which means that they will require additional support to achieve their full potential.

(1) Allen, Lucy, Michael J. Cohen, David Abelson, and Bart Miller. 2012. “Fossil Fuels and Water Quality” in Peter H. Gleick (ed) The World’s Water: The Biennial Report on Freshwater Resources, volume 7. Washington: Island Press: 73-96.

(2) Coates, David, Richard Connor, et al. 2012. “Water Demand: What Drives Consumption” in WWAP The United Nations World Water Development Report 4: Managing Water Under Uncertainty and Risk. Paris: UNESCO: 44-77.

(3) Olsson, Gustaf. 2012. Water and Energy: Threats and Opportunities. London: IWA Publishing.

(4) Herrin, Misty. 2011. “River and Lakes: Is Ignorance Bliss When it Comes to Our Water?” The Nature Conservancy News. Accessed 12/3/2012. http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/habitats/riverslakes/isignorance-bliss-when-it-comes-to-our-water.xml

[image credit: windsordi: Flickr cc]

This morning I had a chance to sit down with Dr. Nawal Al-Hosany, Masdar's Director of Sustainability for Masdar as well as the Director of the Zayed Future Energy Prize .  We talked briefly about what's new at Masdar City as well as what lessons learned at Masdar City are being applied elsewhere.   Stay tuned for tonight's prizewinners - we'll be tweeting around 9am pacitic time with the hashtag #ZFEP.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ky_D6hbP3Oc

 

Ed Note: Travel expenses for the Author and TriplePundit were provided by Masdar.

An explosion of blue nylon fabric and scaffolding landed on Abu Dhabi's waterfront this week. The project, called "Wendy" by New York architects HWKN, is a self-described "air-purifying structure" and an attention grabbing educational icon for a week's worth of activity surrounding Abu Dhabi sustainability week.

The structure, originally installed at New York's PS1 gallery, cools the air around it with a fine mist of water, serves as a performance and party space, and offers thought-provoking anecdotes on architecture and sustainability. It is also covered with a "fabric treated with a groundbreaking titania nanofilm to neutralize airborne pollutants." Specifically, the fabric is designed to react with nitrogen oxides, removing them from the air.

The latter claim may be more symbolic than practical, but symbolism is important when it comes to promoting sustainability - especially in the middle of the world's most oil-rich region. Driving cultural change requires powerful symbols if it is to get anywhere.  As such, Wendy is a great symbol for the week to come...

Kicking off by the time you read this will be one of the largest sustainability gatherings in the world.  I'll be spending most of my time attending the main proceedings of the World Future Energy Summit - with more than 30,000 participants from 150 countries. There will be more heads of state than you can shake a stick at. France's president, Francois Hollande will keynote the opening session along with addresses from many others.

Additionally, I'll be attending the Zayed Future Energy Prize ceremony Tuesday night. The prize, in its 5th year, honors the rock solid efforts of sustainability champions, companies, and entrepreneurs worldwide to the tune of $4 million annually. This year's finalists can be seen here. There's nothing symbolic about the efforts the prize will be honoring, regardless of the winner.

Follow along this week for all of the above as well as some exclusive interviews.

Travel expenses to Abu Dhabi were provided by Masdar, the main organizer of WFES.

Read more in this series

Our series on the Refrigerant Revolution has covered the background and history of refrigerants, the current policy backdrop, and an examination of key issues around appliance recycling, regulatory compliance and continued use of common refrigerants like R-22.

By Jill Abelson and Jeff Cohen

We wrap up the series with highlights from last week’s story in The Economist  -- which looked at the pros and cons of cooling in a warming world -- and leave you with a video calling for a revolution in cool.

Health benefits, improved productivity and reduced mortality are among the absolute and undeniable benefits of modern cooling and air conditioning.  Air Conditioning in America by Gail Cooper and Stan Cox’s Losing our Cool – both cited in The Economist article – trace the fascinating history, societal benefits, growth and challenges of modern cooling.

America uses more electricity for cooling than Africa uses for everything, according to Cox. Hotter summers and larger homes caused American energy consumption for air conditioning to double between 1993 and 2005. Cooling buildings and vehicles creates almost half a billion tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. Factoring in demand from developing countries, Dutch researchers have predicted that worldwide demand for air conditioning will rise fourfold this century.

Efficiency gains in cooling and refrigeration technologies abound.  Yet, as this series has noted, international protocols have only slowly phased out refrigerant gases that are harmful to the ozone layer and climate systems. Meanwhile, slow-to-replace older equipment in the U.S. and developed countries, in addition to new appliances in the developing world -- still rely on older pollutants with high global warming potential.

It’s a complex problem, spanning technology, science, policy, business and economics. Could it be that the challenge of refrigerants and climate calls for new approaches, maybe even a revolution in the meaning of cool? Who knows, maybe even a small change will drive a revolution.

Our next series will turn to solutions and leadership.

Meanwhile, here's a sneak preview:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIpMh1oVSkI