International Comparison of Energy and Waste Sustainability Policies

This report provides a comparative analysis of energy and waste sustainability practices in Australia and India, fulfilling the requirements of a CVE80010 assignment. It begins with an introduction to the concepts of energy and waste sustainability, emphasizing the importance of renewable energy and waste management. The report then assesses energy sustainability in Australia, detailing government policies, such as the Mandatory Renewable Energy Target (MRET), and initiatives like the solar town program. The assessment also covers India's energy sustainability efforts, including the Shale Gas Policy and the National Action Plan on Climate Change, highlighting the growth of renewable energy use and the role of agencies like the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency. The report further examines waste sustainability in both countries, discussing Australia's National Waste Policy 2018 and India's focus on waste-to-energy and plastic recycling. A comparison section highlights the different approaches taken by the two countries, with Australia focusing on greenhouse gas emission reduction and India incorporating different strategies for waste management, and concludes by suggesting potential policy adaptations. References are included for all sources used.

Running head: WASTE AND ENERGY SUSTAINABILITY
Waste and Energy Sustainability
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Introduction
The practice of using the energy in the same way without hampering the needs of the
individuals in a sustainable manner is generally referred to as the sustainable method of
energy using. Generally, it is reported that, the renewable energies are referred to as the
sustainable energy. For example, it can be stated that, the solar energy, wind energy can be
marked as the sustainable energy. In recent time, it is the greatest challenge in front of the
world to meet the needs of energy of the world’s population. Apart from that, due to the
increased population of this world, the amount of waste generation around the world has also
enhanced a lot and thus, it is also crucial to manage those waste products. One of the primary
ways of managing those waste products is to use those materials as the source of energy
production and in most of the countries in this world this method is followed to reduce the
burden of waste products (Strengers and Maller 2014).
In this essay, the issue of energy sustainability and waste sustainability are discussed in a
brief manner and at the same time the energy sustainability and waste sustainability policies
of Australia and India are discussed.
Assessment of Energy Sustainability
From various resources, it is reported that, the Australia is one of the most greenhouse gas
producing countries of this world and it is the high time, to improve the condition in order to
save the environment as well. Along with this, it is also reported that, the amount of CO2 in
the air is also enhanced day by day and so it is crucial to take step to reduce the amount of
CO2 in the environment.
In Australia the concept of energy sustainability is one of the most controversial issue
and so it is crucial address the problem of energy sustainability in the country. In order to do

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so, Australia Federal Government has proposed a few policies for the energy sustainability.
However, the polices of energy sustainability are different for different states of the country.
The energy sustainability policy of the country mainly aims to reduce the risks to the
environments due to the excessive use of natural resources as the energy resources
(Australian Government 2019). In the South Australia State, the local government has made a
policy based on the sustainability objectives of South Australia. As per this policy, the
government has planned to reduce the greenhouse pollution by 2020. Along with this, the
legislation was also passed to reduce the green house pollution almost 60 per cent at the end
of 2050. The use of renewable energy was also promoted in this policy and it is aimed to use
approximately 14 per cent of renewable energy by the end of 2014. Victoria aimed to
enhance the use of renewable energy almost 25 per cent by the end of 2020. As a part of the
overall policy, it can be stated that, the government has aimed to reduce the emission of the
greenhouse gas in the country. As part of this, they had initiated a program named Mandatory
Renewable Energy Target (MRET) and this scheme will run till 2020. From 2009, August, it
is reported that, the implementation of the MRET project helped to enhance the use of
renewable energy use from 9500 to 45000 gigawatt-hours and this will continue till 2030. As
a part of enhancing the renewable energy in the country, the government has planned to use
the solar energy as one of the primary energy resources of the country (Australian
Government 2019). For example, it can be stated that, solar town program, solar community
program are planned. As a part of solar town program government will promote the use of
solar energy in the community levels and it will help to improve the condition of the local
environment as well. Along with this, the country also has formed a few agencies for looking
after the progress towards the renewable energy use in the country (Yu and Halog 2015). For
example, it is reported that for supervising the progress of the renewable energy (wind
energy), the government has formed National Wind Farm Commissioner and they are

3WASTE AND ENERGY SUSTAINABILITY
responsible for promoting the use of renewable energy (air energy) among the Australian
people (Australian Department of Human Services 2019; Gulagi et al. 2017).
While analysing the energy sustainability condition of India, it can be stated the, in the
year of 2013, the country has released its own gas policy named Shale Gas Policy. The use
of the renewable energy in India has greatly enhanced since 2008. In that year, India had
started the National Action Plan on Climate Change. According to this policy, India would
try to enhance the use of solar energy (approximately 22,000 MW) and this would be
achieved by the end of 2022. Another crucial policy for practicing the renewable energy,
India has initiated the wind grid and the government has released more fund (INR 80 billion
apart from the National Clean Energy Fund) to promote this wind energy as well. Like
Australia, India also formed an agency named The Indian Renewable Energy Development
Agency for looking the advancement of the renewable energy use. India also tries to
incorporate the private funding in the renewable energy sectors (Government of India 2014).
Assessment of Waste Sustainability
The management of the energy sustainability is highly associ8iated with the concept of
waste management. In Australia, government is promoting the use of waste products as the
source of energy in the country. According to the National Waste Policy 2018, the main idea
of the country is to use more resources and along with this, the amount of waste products
should be reduced. The policy aims to address the challenges faced by the country due to the
amount of waste products. Along with this, the policy will also set a national framework for
action by the governments and by the other business sectors of the country as well. The
policy of 2018 is based on the policy of 2009 and the new policy is mainly focusing on the
avoidance of waste production and use of waste products for making new materials as well,
The policy provides 12 goals. By the end of 2030, Australia planned to reduce the waste

4WASTE AND ENERGY SUSTAINABILITY
generation by prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse. They also plan to enhance the
awareness about the waste management among the people as well. In addition to this, this
policy also aims to reduce the food waste by the end of 2030 (Australian Government 2019).
The Indian policy of waste management is directed towards the production of the energy
from the waste products. Government is focusing to use technology in the production of
energy from the urban wastes (Rana, Ganguly and Gupta 2015). From the waste products,
Government promotes the production of biogas from the waste products. The National
Resource Efficiency Policy 2019 also specifically focus on the recycling of automobile sector
wastages and has planned to recycle almost 75 to 90 per cent of waste. In case of plastic
recycling India aims to achieve 100 per cent recycling of the plastic materials by the end of
2025 (Edinger 2016). In the construction industry India also plans to recycle 50 per cent of
the waste products generated from the construction industry of the country as well (Agarwal
2019). Therefore, India also has taken an agenda for improving the waste management named
2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and this agenda has 17 sustainable goals to be
achieved within 2030 (Kalyani and Pandey 2014).
Comparison in between the Two Countries
From the above discussion, it can be stated that, the two countries have taken different
approaches for dealing with the problem of energy sustainability and waste product
management strategy. In case of Australia, it is reported In case of Australia, the government
is mainly focusing on the reduction of the greenhouse gas emission as they are one of the
highest greenhouse gas producing countries of the world. In case of India, the condition is
not at all same and they are taken initiatives as a part of the protective measures for
protecting the environment. In case of Australia, it is reported that, for the different states and
territories there are different policies and in case of India there is only one national policy. In

5WASTE AND ENERGY SUSTAINABILITY
this context, it can be said that, India can follow this policy for their different states as well.
For promoting the use of the renewable energy Australia has initiated solar town program and
solar community program and India can also start such program to enhance the use of
renewable energy in the country. However, both the countries have formed an agency to look
after the progress of the renewable energy use (Australian Government 2019; Government of
India 2014). While considering the waste management policy of two countries, it can be said
that, both the countries focus on the waste to energy concept that is production of energy
from the waste products and along with this the policies of both the countries aim to reduce
the production of waste products. In case of India, the government has planned to take
different approach for different type of waste products; however, in case of Australia, no such
plan is not initiated by the government (Singh, Srivastava and Shukla 2016). Hence, it can be
said that, Australian government can take this approach like India to manage the waste
products in a more prominent manner.

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References
Agarwal, M., 2019. Recycle & reuse: Indian government proposes a resource efficiency
policy. Mongabay. Retrieved from- https://india.mongabay.com/2019/08/recycle-reuse-
indian-government-proposes-a-resource-efficiency-policy/ [Accessed on- 30th Sept 2019]
Australian Department of Human Services, 2019. Environmental Sustainability Policy.
Australian Department of Human Services. Retrieved from-
https://www.humanservices.gov.au/organisations/about-us/publications-and-resources/
environmental-sustainability-policy [Accessed on-30th Sept 2019]
Australian Government, 2019. National Waste Policy. Australian Government. Retrieved
from- https://www.environment.gov.au/protection/waste-resource-recovery/national-waste-
policy [Accessed on-30th Sept 2019]
Australian Government, 2019. Renewable Energy. Australian Government. Retrieved from-
https://www.environment.gov.au/climate-change/government/renewable-energy [Accessed
on-30th Sept 2019]
Edinger, K., C., 2016. India’s Energy and Climate Policy Can India Meet the Challenge of
Industrialization and Climate Change?. INDIA’S ENERGY AND CLIMATE POLICY:
Government of India, 2014. Policies for a Sustainable Energy System - India. Government of
India. Retrieved from- https://mnre.gov.in › waste-energy [Accessed on- 30th Sept 2019]
Gulagi, A., Bogdanov, D., Fasihi, M. and Breyer, C., 2017. Can Australia power the energy-
hungry Asia with renewable energy?. Sustainability, 9(2), p.233.
Kalyani, K.A. and Pandey, K.K., 2014. Waste to energy status in India: A short
review. Renewable and sustainable energy reviews, 31, pp.113-120.

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Rana, R., Ganguly, R. and Gupta, A.K., 2015. An assessment of solid waste management
system in Chandigarh city, India. Electron J Geotech Eng, 20, pp.1547-1572.
Singh, R., Srivastava, M. and Shukla, A., 2016. Environmental sustainability of bioethanol
production from rice straw in India: a review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy
Reviews, 54, pp.202-216.
Strengers, Y. and Maller, C. eds., 2014. Social practices, intervention and sustainability:
Beyond behaviour change. Routledge.
Yu, M. and Halog, A., 2015. Solar photovoltaic development in Australia—a life cycle
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