SLE721 Policy Analysis: Energy Consumption, Eco-footprint & Policy

This report provides a comprehensive policy analysis focusing on sustainable development through the lens of energy consumption and its ecological footprint. It begins with a calculation of the author's eco-footprint, followed by a selection and rationale for addressing energy consumption as a key area for improvement. The report then recalculates the eco-footprint after simulating improvements in energy efficiency, comparing results before and after the changes. It delves into the Commonwealth Energy Policy, describing its relation to energy consumption and analyzing its strategic directions and actions. The report further discusses potential changes to the policy and provides justifications for these changes, culminating in policy recommendations aimed at fostering ecological sustainable development. These recommendations encompass long-term vision setting, adoption of a federal renewable portfolio standard, carbon pricing implementation, electricity market design improvements, review of fossil fuel subsidies, promotion of energy efficiency, and fostering energy technology innovation. The report concludes by highlighting the positive impacts of these policy recommendations on achieving sustainable development goals.

Running head: POLICY AND PLANNING FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
POLICY AND PLANNING FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author note:

1POLICY AND PLANNING FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Calculation of Eco-footprint
Eco-footprint or ecological footprint refers to the measurement of the impact of
human activities on the basis of the area of the biologically productive water and land that are
required for producing the goods consumed by the humans and for assimilating the total
wastes that are generated [1]. In other words, it is the measure of the human demands from
nature, that is, the amount of nature destroyed or taken for supporting the people or any
economy. Ecological accounting system is used for tracking this demand.
The below mentioned figure is calculation of my ecological footprint that is measured
with the help of http://www.footprintcalculator.org/
Figure 1: Results of Eco-Footprint
Source: http://www.footprintcalculator.org/
Selection and providing a rationale for an area to address
Energy Consumption
Energy consumption refers to the total amount of power or energy used by the human
beings [2]. It is actually all about consuming electric energy. It is to note that the electricity

2POLICY AND PLANNING FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
energy consumption refers to the demand of energy made on the prevailing supply of
electricity. Energy is very important for the well-being of human kind. It is widely used all
over the globe. It is a major contributor to the world’s economy.
The problems related to high level of consumption of energy are widely ignored,
notwithstanding their continuous importance. Conservation of energy is very important as the
use of non-renewable resources also have a significant impact on the environment. The use of
fossil fuels, and air and water pollution are all because of the over utilisation of energy [3].
Making improvement in the energy efficiency and by decreasing the demand for energy,
human beings can ensure fastest, safest and cheapest means for mitigating the change in
climate.
Recalculation of Eco-footprint and providing results (before and after)
Below mentioned is a figure presenting the result of eco-footprint after improving the
energy efficiency.
Figure 2: Figure 1: Results of recalculation of Eco-Footprint
Source: http://www.footprintcalculator.org/
Elements Before improved energy After enhanced energy

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efficiency efficiency
Ecological Footprint (global
hectares or gha)
8.7 6.1
Carbon Footprint (CO2
emission in tonners per year)
5.9 10.5
Carbon Footprint
(Percentage of total
ecological footprint)
62 59
Table 1: Comparison of the results of eco-footprint before and after improved energy
efficiency
Description of Policy and How Commonwealth Energy Policy relates to the chosen area
(energy consumption)
Commonwealth Energy Policy benefits from articulating some clear set of objectives
that are pertaining to the energy issues. Its policy requirements include energy intensity
targets to be met by the year 2002-03, supporting the process of research and development
and promoting the use of renewable sources of energy [4]. This policy ensures that the
combination of the energy saving and the energy supplies systems are sufficient enough for
supporting the demand of economic growth. With the same, it promotes the research and
development of the clean coal technologies, comprising of but not limited to the integrated
gasification combine systems of cycle. Furthermore, the Commonwealth Energy policy
promote some cost effective way of conserving energy and the fuel supplies. It ensures that
there is an availability of some affordable natural gas all through the Commonwealth by
means of ensuring expansion of the distribution of natural gases and by transmitting the
pipeline infrastructure. Also, it ensures development of coal bed methane gas and the

4POLICY AND PLANNING FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
methane hydrate resources. This in turn helps in encouraging productive use of the landfill
gases.
Moreover, the Commonwealth Energy Policy helps in the promotion of the electricity
generation by means of new and latest technologies which do not aid to the greenhouse gases
or global warming, one of the significant concern of human kind [5]. Furthermore, it
facilitates the growth and development of the new petroleum refining processes and facilities
within the Commonwealth. Also, it promotes the usage of motor cycles which use alternative
fuels. This is due to the fact that motor cycles are highly energy efficient. The
Commonwealth Energy Policy also supports the efforts for reducing the demand for the
imported petrol products by means of developing or introducing alternative technologies,
comprising of the hydrogen based fuels and synthetic fuels [6]. It also promote the
development of infrastructures that are necessary for the implementation of these
technologies world-wide. Lastly, it provides some sustainable production of the biofuels and
their usage for the crops that are grown in the Commonwealth and at the same time, it
supports the delivery of the infrastructure that are required for the distribution of these
biofuels in different states.
Analysis of the Strategic Directions and Actions
The strategic directions and actions are mentioned below:
a) Researching on the cost, benefits and the efficacy of avoiding, reducing and
sequestering the emissions of the greenhouse gases that are produced in relation to the
energy generation
b) Decreasing the long-term exposure of Commonwealth for volatility and increasing the
price of energy use by means of greater energy independence
c) Management of the energy consumption rate

5POLICY AND PLANNING FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
d) Removal of the impediments to the usage of low cost energy resources that are
located in and outside of the Commonwealth
e) Ensuring economic viability of the Commonwealth products and funds
f) Ensuring that there is always an availability of the reliable energy at low and
reasonable costs and that too, in ample of quantity which will help the economy of
commonwealth to grow and develop
g) Establishment of ample of supply and the delivery of the infrastructure for
maintaining reliable energy availability during disruption.
Changes to the Policy and rationale for those changes
h) Addressing all the challenges in relation to the deployment of biofuels, comprising of
the barriers related to the implementation process of different critical supporting
buildings and infrastructures such as the distribution system, the compatible vehicle
technologies, the gathering system, etc.
i) Re-evaluating the ethanol subsidies and the other different tariffs related to the present
fuel mandates as well as rationalising the current policies for directing a greater share
of the public resources in order to ensure more promising alternatives like bio-
butanol, cellulosic ethanol, top quality diesel fuels etc.
j) Providing a certainty to all the investors by minimising the related regulatory risk and
the political risks, particularly the retroactive changes in the policy
k) Increasing the structural and contractual certainty by means of consistent legal
enforceability.
Policy Recommendations and their positive impact

6POLICY AND PLANNING FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
a) Providing a long term vision and goal which is specific, measurable and have some
well expected end result along with maintaining sufficient flexibility to the
incorporation of new technologies and the other different unforeseen changes.
b) Adopting a federal renewable portfolio standard (FRPS). This would help in
increasing of the total share of electric that is generated by the renewable sources all
around the nation by ten percent within a year [7].
c) Carbon pricing needs to be implemented all around the world. Also, both the national
as well as the international bodies should lead this charge. It is the most effective way
of reducing the emissions of the greenhouse gases and is an indispensable pillar of the
ambitious climate policy as well.
d) Electricity market design is important for supporting the rapidly evolving electric
systems [8]. The policy makers should support the alignment of the electricity market
design along with the products and rules that are necessary for operating efficiently
the increasingly renewable systems.
e) The policy makers should review the present portfolio of the grants for eliminating
the current fossil fuel subsidies as well as to redirect the funds towards targeted and
effective programmes for the clean technologies.
f) One of the most cost-effective energy option in this regard is the energy efficiency.
The policy makers need to remove all the barriers and challenges in the way of
adoption of this and they must also provide some proper financial mechanisms as
well.
g) ETI or Energy Technology innovation is a great alternative. It is a set of processes
that lead to new and more improved energy technologies which can augment the
energy resources as well as improve the energy service quality [9]. It include all the
measures in relation to planning, implementation process, the human resource and

7POLICY AND PLANNING FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
financial management in the field of research along with the demonstration and
development of the energy technologies as well. This would also reduce the
environmental, economic and the political costs related to the energy supply and its
use.

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