Energy Conservation & Management – Role of Women

Citation:

Balakrishnan, Lalita. 1996. “Energy Conservation & Management – Role of Women.” Renewable Energy 9 (1–4): 1165–70.

Author: Lalita Balakrishnan

Abstract:

Mahatma Gandhi said about the Planet Earth that there was sufficient resource to meet everybody's need (in the planet), but not for anybody's greed - nothing could be more appropriate at present in the context of the Global Energy situation. Renewable Energy has now been recognised as the only solution to the problem of sustainable development. Among Asian countries, India would continue to remain one of the major consumers of fossil fuels, because of the fast growth in her economy, since the new economic policies were initiated around 1991. With demand far out-stripping supply, shortages of power in India are growing every year with more and more forest covers getting depleted and women everywhere are being affected, directly or indirectly.

Experts have projected that unless the present level of carbon dioxide emissions coming from fossil fuels is reduced to 60% of the present level, there would be a major climatic shift by the middle of 2000 A.D. The Government of India has realised that such a reduction in carbon-dioxide emissions would not be possible unless there is a shift from the present fossil-fuel based economy to a Renewable Energy based economy. The contribution of carbon dioxide emissions from the use of renewable energy is the least compared with those from other fuels, and is of the order of 0.001% per kwh, as against 1.2% per k. wh for coal and 0.6% per k. wh for oil.

Keywords: Gandhi, women, AIWC, wood stoves, biogas

Topics: Economies, Environment, Climate Change, Gender, Women, Infrastructure, Energy Regions: Asia, South Asia Countries: India

Year: 1996