Policies for capacity development

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Environmental Protection, Energy Policy and Poverty Reduction – Synergies of an Integrated Approach

This paper describes the mechanisms that link poverty reduction with climate and energy policy. First, there is a brief analysis of the relationship between ongoing climate change, energy use and poverty. This analysis is followed by an overview of different policy options that have the potential to fight poverty while simultaneously limiting global warming and environmental degradation. Mitigating climate change, transforming the energy systems in developing countries and financing adaptation to climate change are pointed out as central policy fields governments and developing agencies should focus on. Furthermore, one can argue that new technologies to increase energy efficiency and the dissemination of renewable energy systems have an especially strong impact on poverty. Access to clean and cost-efficient energy has a direct effect on the income generation potentials of the poor. Finally, this paper identifies appropriate financing mechanisms to implement the aforementioned strategies.

Analysis of national Jatropha biodiesel programme in Senegal

Growing Jatropha curcas for energy applications in has been established through several initiatives in Senegal. The government of Senegal launched the National Jatropha Programme (NJP) in 2006 with the goal of planting 321,000 ha of Jatropha curcas, with an average of 1000 hectares (ha) in each rural locality. This paper reviews existing policies with relevance to Jatropha curcas L production in Senegal. It assesses the NJP implementation, identifies potential gaps and provides recommendations with regards to planning, institutional management, regulation, and implementation. The potential of Jatropha and other biodiesel crop options, based on findings from an agro-environmental mapping exercise have been shown. Findings show that prior policies in agricultural and energy sectors had been instrumental in developing the NJP. It highlights significant challenges in the value chain, the implementation of NJP and on the importance of using empirical assessment of evidence to inform on the biodiesel crop type compared to a focus on only one crop, Jatropha. Agro-environmental mapping was identified as useful technique prior to biodiesel cultivation. The work reported here indicates Jatropha having the largest suitability of land areas equating to almost thirty times (30) the original estimations in the NJP followed by Pongamia and sunflower with 6,796,000 ha and 5,298,900 ha respectively. Recommendations are provided suggesting, scientifically sound analysis from agro-environmental mapping to inform on the suitability of areas for Jatropha cultivation and on environmentally, socially and culturally sensitive areas. Policy options have been suggested for environmentally benigned sustained biodiesel activities in Senegal