Resource-efficient and renewable energy transition in the five least developed countries of Asia: a post-COVID-19 assessment

Baniya, B; Giurco, D

Resource-efficient and renewable energy transition in the five least developed countries of Asia: a post-COVID-19 assessment

Baniya, B Giurco, D

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Publisher:: Informa UK Limited
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Sustainability: Science, Practice, and Policy, 2021, 17, (1), pp. 404-413
Issue Date:: 2021-01-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Baniya, B
dc.contributor.author	Giurco, D https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1707-9531
dc.date.accessioned	2022-01-31T20:21:54Z
dc.date.available	2022-01-31T20:21:54Z
dc.date.issued	2021-01-01
dc.identifier.citation	Sustainability: Science, Practice, and Policy, 2021, 17, (1), pp. 404-413
dc.identifier.issn	1548-7733
dc.identifier.issn	1548-7733
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/153964
dc.description.abstract	The economic fallout from COVID-19 resulted in an economic slowdown and a contraction in economic output, changed economic structures, and reduced financial inflows in the five least developed countries (LDCs) of Asia–Bangladesh, Cambodia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR), Myanmar, and Nepal. This policy brief discusses these impacts in light of the LDC-graduation procedures of the United Nations together with the challenges that these countries face meeting their nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and the environment-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 7, 12, and 13). The economic slowdown in Bangladesh, Lao PDR, and Myanmar and a contraction in economic output in Cambodia and Nepal has increased poverty in the five LDCs and is putting pressure on biomass resources in the rural areas of these countries. The change in the structures of their economies, which threatens to reverse processes of economic modernization in these LDCs, is undermining two decades of progress regarding the efficient use of natural resources and the associated reduction in greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions per unit of gross domestic product (GDP). A decline in financial inflows such as remittances, foreign direct investment, and official development assistance (ODA) is also a risk to both short- and long-term prospects of further investment in renewable energy generation and low GHG-emissions technologies. This policy brief suggests policies that target technical interventions and incentivize small-scale renewable energy technologies that are less susceptible to microeconomic and macroeconomic impacts from external shocks such as COVID-19.
dc.language	en
dc.publisher	Informa UK Limited
dc.relation.ispartof	Sustainability: Science, Practice, and Policy
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1080/15487733.2021.2002025
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.title	Resource-efficient and renewable energy transition in the five least developed countries of Asia: a post-COVID-19 assessment
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	17
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/DVC (Research)
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/DVC (Research)/Institute For Sustainable Futures
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - ISF - Institute for Sustainable Futures
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.date.updated	2022-01-31T20:21:53Z
pubs.issue	1
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	17
utslib.citation.issue	1

Abstract:

The economic fallout from COVID-19 resulted in an economic slowdown and a contraction in economic output, changed economic structures, and reduced financial inflows in the five least developed countries (LDCs) of Asia–Bangladesh, Cambodia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR), Myanmar, and Nepal. This policy brief discusses these impacts in light of the LDC-graduation procedures of the United Nations together with the challenges that these countries face meeting their nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and the environment-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 7, 12, and 13). The economic slowdown in Bangladesh, Lao PDR, and Myanmar and a contraction in economic output in Cambodia and Nepal has increased poverty in the five LDCs and is putting pressure on biomass resources in the rural areas of these countries. The change in the structures of their economies, which threatens to reverse processes of economic modernization in these LDCs, is undermining two decades of progress regarding the efficient use of natural resources and the associated reduction in greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions per unit of gross domestic product (GDP). A decline in financial inflows such as remittances, foreign direct investment, and official development assistance (ODA) is also a risk to both short- and long-term prospects of further investment in renewable energy generation and low GHG-emissions technologies. This policy brief suggests policies that target technical interventions and incentivize small-scale renewable energy technologies that are less susceptible to microeconomic and macroeconomic impacts from external shocks such as COVID-19.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/153964