Dr. Aleksandar KNEZEVIC
Sarajevo
MODEL OF wasteless society
1. THESIS
The basic thesis of this work is that
it is possible to define a wasteless society. The previous attitude of
man toward the environment meant – and this was manifest first in the appearance
of agriculture and cattle breeding, then in industrialisation – a continuous
struggle with nature, while all the improvements always referred to corrections
in development (protection of environment), based upon the mistakes and
harmful consequences that had been identified. This work aims at making
a far-reaching model of wasteless society to which the real society would
be getting as close as socially, economically and technologically feasible
at a given point in time. In that case the real society, having clear goal
in view, would easier be going toward a type of society that has a more
harmonious relationship with nature, and would not be, like it has been
doing up to now, just eliminating the mistakes detected in its behaviour
toward nature.
2. MODEL OF NATURE
2.1. Development of material systems:
The formation of a part of universe of which the solar system is a part
can be viewed through development of particular systems. The oldest and
the basic is the physical system composed of about hundred chemical elements.
The simplest element of that system is hydrogen with one proton in nucleus,
with every next element in sequence having a higher number of protons.
The development continues through the chemical system. It appears with
the new quality of physical system – binding of chemical elements. This
system starts at simple combinations of two types of atoms, like in water,
with complexity of molecules growing – with their number and number of
elements increasing – up to DNA. The next passage to higher quality is
represented by the biological system, where chemical molecules acquire
the ability to regenerate – to be born, to grow and develop, and to die.
The simplest members of the biological system are one-cell organisms. Their
further development involves the existence of intellect – the cognition
of environment and bringing of appropriate decisions. The last member in
this chain of biological living things is the human being. In comparison
to other biological beings, the evolution of human being is less of biological
and more of cultural nature, with human beings forming the social system,
still in progress. This system is the most complex system in the universe
known to date.
As the range of evolution of every
species and every system is limited, while the scope of evolution is unlimited,
one could reasonably expect that the social system would evolve to a higher
level, and this one to a next, etc. One might also presume that in some
parts of our universe there are already levels of organisation higher then
the social level (Fig. 1). The first three systems are together called
the system of nature, or nature.
The social system started developing
not only through the capacity of communication and transfer of experience
and knowledge from one living man to other, but from dead to living as
well.
This system is characterized by random
conceptualisation of the goals of development. In this work, it is presumed
that the final limit to the reach of the social system is the total informatisation
of all the social processes, based upon the scientific knowledge. As we
are witnessing the time of informatisation explosion (in its technical
aspects primarily), one could discern the emergence of a new system – the
system of collective consciousness of human beings. This system
could start by a wide process of democratisation and total informatisation
by the help of artificial intelligence to end up in overall informatisation
through completely different use o man’s intellectual potential.
It is important to note here that each
one of levels analysed contains in itself all the previous levels and thus
therefore the system of corrective consciousness would not be a system
that would replace the social system but would rather appear as a new system
growing on the basis of a social system.
2.2. Processes in nature:
The basis of the universe is the matter. The matter appears in three manifestations:
mass (composition and shape), energy (type and intensity) and information
(quantity and quality), with each change in the state of one of the manifestations
also producing changes in the other two.
The matter is constantly changing (circulating
on Earth) from one form or composition to another. The energy comes to
the Earth from the universe, transforms into forms which are suitable for
processes taking place on Earth, and after a short stay or accumulation
on Earth – comes back to the universe where in time and space of high order
of magnitude it completes the energy cycles. Every participant in these
processes emits into space information about its changes, while at the
same time receiving such information from all sides. In such a way, all
the processes on Earth take place thanks to the helical flow of matter
on Earth, energy cycles that occur in cosmic proportions after flow of
energy or short accumulation on Earth and also thanks to continuous exchange
of information.
2.3 The world of living things:
The world of living things represents a special form of harmonisation between
flows of matter, energy and information. The living world appears in three
forms: (1) producers of organic mass – green plants – which use the energy
from the universe for combining simple chemical elements into complex ones,
(2) consumers of organic matter – animals and non-green plants – which
feed on producers and, through oxidation mechanism, use the energy that
the producers receive from the universe (primary consumers) or feed on
primary consumers (secondary consumers), etc., (3) reducers – mainly bacteria
and fungi – that decompose the dead bodies of producers and consumers into
the matter from which the producers were formed, releasing thus the energy
that returns to the universe (Fig. 2).
The basis of existence and development
of any living being is the information on its structure and its future
changes (from birth to death) which shapes the matter and energy that are
in process of constant exchange within it.
2.4 Technological development: Through
society, the nature has changed the quality and dynamics of its previous
course of development. The basis for these changes are the conscious actions
of society undertaken in relation to changes in the flow of mass on Earth,
in the use of accumulated forms of energy (fossil fuel) and in acquiring
knowledge (information) which is materialised. There are three stages of
technological development in the qualitative sense: (a) development of
tools which extend the capacities of man’s limbs, (b) development of measuring
instruments which increase the capacity of man’s senses and (c) development
of computers which enhance the capacities of man’s brain. The basic characteristic
of this development is the development is the development of technologies
for the purpose of socially produced needs, but also the reduction in the
quantity of mass and energy per unit of needs satisfied, with an increase
in the input of information.
3. DEFINITION OF WASTELESS SOCIETY
The environmental crisis can be taken
as meaning a crisis in behaviour of social system toward the nature, threatening
to introduce such changes in the nature that can lead to the loss of the
elements of the natural basis that are necessary for the development of
the future generations of the society. In line with that there could be
identified three possible definitions of wasteless society:
(1) Independent development of society
and nature: The waste can be taken as any kind of input (into the natural
flow of matter, energy or information) of the matter, energy or information
generated through man’s activities which could change direction or the
quantity of matter, energy or information in their natural flows. In such
a case wasteless society is society which (a) uses exclusively the solar
energy of direct radiation, or the forms of solar energy that has been
accumulated for short period of time (energy of organic mass, water energy)
and (b) recycles certain quantities of chemical elements and compounds
in its technosphere without entering into interaction with the natural
flow of these matters, using these quantities in every subsequent cycle,
in time in an approved way. In such a society man lives in synergy with
nature, without interfering with the development of nature.
(2) Tolerable influence of society
upon nature: Wasteless society uses the natural resources in such a
way that they are being renewed, or, if they are non-renewable, in such
a way that they are used at such a rate that they can never be significantly
exhausted (diminishing exponential curve which asymptotically approaches
the constant value which represents only the available part of the overall
natural resources), with emission generated from anthropogenic activities
never causing the increase in the concentrations of respective matter in
the biosphere which could result in the changes of eco-system, save the
insignificant ones. In such society, the man exerts a minimum influence
upon the development of nature, and the nature of influence is such that
it falls within the capacity of nature to absorb the impact of the society.
(3) Technological development of
society and nature: Society uses natural resources and deposes (emits,
returns) the matter, energy and information into nature in such a way that
it consciously, on the basis of informed decision effects changes in nature
in such a way as simultaneously to realise the social development and promote
the natural resources. In doing that, man knows well the natural conditions
and laws of nature, imitating them in his own development. The greatest
advantage of this approach would be a totally harmonious (man designed)
development of nature and development of society.
The difference in above definitions
consists in that in the first definition the man does not influence the
development of nature, in the second one exerts only the minimum influence
within tolerable limits of nature, while in the third the man consciously
exert influence upon the development of nature, creating a meta-system,
as form of integration of the natural and social system.
From the above three definitions of
wasteless society that what was common to them was taken to form a definition
of wasteless society for the purpose of this work. Thus therefore, the
wasteless society is characterised by:
(a) knowledge of nature (natural flows
of energy and matter, development of the living world),
(b) control over the ways of energy
transformation and use of energy for the purposes of economic system and
in settlements and
(c) control over the possible exhaustion
of natural resources, their use in the economic systems and in the settlements,
and their return to nature.
What does "control over" mean? Different
interpretations can be given. In fact, depending on the way of interpretation
we get one of the three above definitions. This work did not concretely
argue for any one of the three definitions but has rather chosen to elaborate
the model of "control over" the relations between the society and nature
in such a way as to realise the consciously set aims of the development
of society toward the nature.
From the above it is clear that the
wasteless society does not exist even in an ideal sense. The common things
drawn from the three definitions given in fact only mean that the society
is conscious of its influence upon the nature and that it is capable of
meaningfully guiding its own development. The model of wasteless society
should therefore been taken to mean such a model that enables the realisation
of a meaningfully conceived and conscious influence of living and economic
activities upon the nature. It is obvious that we are here dealing with
the System of Common Consciousness, with the new, next level of the development
of the system upon our planet. This system has knowledge – information
about its long-term aims, it has knowledge about the ways of realisation
of these aims and, particularly important and following from the definition,
there is a common consensus of its members concerning these aims.
4. BASIC POSTULATES OF MODEL OF WASTELESS SOCIETY
The basic approach is expressed through
five basic postulates:
1. The definition of wasteless society
indicated that with the appearance of man, that is to say of human society,
the nature began to develop consciously. The basic characteristic of that
consciousness is the fact that man works on that in an organised manner,
acquiring and using the knowledge along the way. From this we draw our
basic approach
(1) nature (geobiosphere),
in contrast to all other living creatures, did not give to man a completed
environment,
(2) man experiences his needs
through the shortcomings of nature,
(3) man gets organised in order
to satisfy his needs and
(4) organisation works to the sense
of satisfying the needs, acting thus upon the geobiosphere through application
of knowledge.
2. Each of these four
categories, in the sense of a developed model, has four levels of development
(Fig. 4).
The lowest level is a basic one, and
all higher levels are superstructural developments of the previous . At
the same time, each higher level contributes to redefining the contents
of lower levels:
the first level implies an ecological
approach to environmental protection (identification of influences and
alarm, prohibitions imposed and rehabilitation undertaken);
the second level implies the control
of environment (regulation of the extent of pollution appropriate to the
state’s technical and economic possibilities, and limitation of pollution
in accordance with the ecological and sanitary requirements);
the third level is the level of sustainable
development (harmonisation of development and environment through identification
of actual human needs, and finding out of economically and ecologically
most acceptable options for the satisfaction of needs, by using complex
analyses), and
the fourth level represents the wasteless
society (consciously designed management of the flow of matter and energy
in the society and in the nature for the purpose of attaining the desired
harmony in the development of society and nature).
3. The model (Fig. 4)
implies a mutually harmonious relationship between each of the four above
given categories, starting from the assumption that the possibilities of
intervention/harmonisation are the greater the higher the level of the
given category is. Thus we obtain a model which comprises four categories,
each of them with four levels of development (i.e. 16 dimensions), with
each dimension appearing in two forms (the system itself and the possibility
of intervention upon it), this giving a model of 32 elements.
5. MODEL OF WASTELESS SOCIETY
By giving the contents of each of the
elements from the Fig. 4 we obtain the graphic description of the model
of wasteless society- Fig. 5.
According to this model, the levels
of geobiosphere are:
(11) NATURE (synonym: natural environment,
encompassing the living and non-living nature, with man as biological being),
(12) SOCIETY (including man’s environment,
i.e. space used and arranged by man)
(13) MARKET (place of exchange of marketable
commodities and environmental influences between organisations and people)
and
(14) POLICY (actions taken in the direction
of the previously set aims of society)
Possibilities of action (in direction
of action, i.e. contrary to the direction of the development of the level
of geobiosphere) are:
(21) introduction of global economics
and measures of economic policy and particularly introduction of third
sector (beside the production and consumption sector, a sector for reduction
of the produced and consumed is introduced),
(22) principles of exchange of commodities
and environmental influences,
(23) redefinition of human needs, democratisation
and
(24) study of nature and efforts undertaken
for the purpose of not allowing the permissible (agreed on) levels of changes
of certain natural parameters to be overstepped.
Levels in connection with man
are his needs (generator of actions upon the nature):
(31) existential needs (needs of man
as biological being: food, air within given physical and chemical parameters,
water...),
(32) social needs: personal (needs
of individuals within society) and common (needs of whole society as such),
(33) property needs (possession of
goods and knowledge), and finally
(34) spiritual needs, as the highest
level of needs.
The possibilities of action are:
(41) philosophy, ethics and culture,
particularly in view of RESPONSIBILITY FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS,
(42) full privatisation not only of
economic, but also of environmental responsibility as well,
(43) education, security, health, and
(44) assuring the quality of natural
factors.
Levels connected with organisation
are:
(51) individual (man as member of
social system),
(52) operative task team,
(53) economic entity (synonym: organisation),
(54) community (international).
Here are the key elements of management,
or intervention:
(61) decision-making performance (along
with CERTIFICATION OF THE WHOLE SYSTEM OF DECISION-MAKING),
-
(62) management performance (along with
proofs given as to its harmonisation with the generally accepted management
system),
(63) process performance (along with
proofs given as to its limited influence upon environment),
(64) product performance (market demands).
Levels connected with knowledge
are:
(71) individual scientific disciplines,
(72) technological and biotechnological
development and organisation of space,
(73) integration of natural, social
and economic sciences and
(74) integral scientific approach directed
towards identifying and assuring the desired form of society – nature relationship.
Elements of actions are:
(81) conscious designing OF
DESIRED SOCIETY-NATURE RELATIONSHIP,
(82) economy that respects the interests
of future generations as well,
(83) direction of development (industrial,
urban...) and
(84) state and rules (individual scientific
disciplines).
It is possible to see the model horizontally
as well, from the aspect of levels, or approaches to the environment. The
first level, which corresponds to the model of ecological protection,
comprises: Man, (31) sensing that his existential needs are endangered
(air pollution, shortage of water (11) and observing the quality of natural
factors (44), protecting the nature in such a way to establish the acceptable
limits to changes in natural factors, based upon his ecological surveys
(24). At the level of organisation there appears a man as individual (51)
interested in product performances at the market, viewed from the standpoint
of his personal needs (64). In the area of knowledge there are certain
separate scientific disciplines (71), the purpose of which is to establish
laws in the given area of research (84).
The second level corresponds to environmental
management approach, which is today the prevalent system of attitudes
of society toward nature. Within the framework of geobiosphere, we find
at this level the society (12) which developed in the framework of the
natural system. The social and natural system have separate, different
laws of development which lead to ecological crisis, that is to say, crisis
of behavior of society toward nature. The possibilities of interventions
at this level are redefining of human needs or the harmonization of existential
needs and those needs which are satisfied through agriculture, industrialisation
and urbanisation (23). The social needs are socialising, recreation etc.
(32), while the social intervention relates to education, security and
health protection of citizens (43). At the level of organisation, we find
here the operative task, functional team (as part of the production or
management organisation (52), which is responsible for the operation of
the process (63) and its influence upon the environment. The knowledge
is subordinate to, and at the same time precondition to the technological
and biotechnological development, and urban planning (72). The possibility
of intervention refers to the conscious designing of the direction these
development branches are to take (83). This level contains within itself
a lower level as well – the level of ecological protection.
The third level represents the model
of sustainable development. In the area of geobiosphere, the third
level is the market (13), generated by the social system. The market model
has up to now been the most successful model of society. The possibility
of intervention at this level consists in the market equally encompassing
not only the exchange of commodities but also the exchange of environmental
influences (22). At this level, man is sensible to property needs (33),
while the possibility of intervention consists in placing the responsibility
toward the economy and toward the environment on the same level, i.e. privatisation
of both the economic and environmental responsibility (42). Within the
framework of the organisation category, appears the economic entity (53),
while the possibility of intervention is contained in the quality (performance)
of decisions made in regard to the goals of economic entities on the market
of commodities and in regard to influences upon environment (62). In order
to achieve the optimum decisions, a higher level of integration of knowledge
is needed, primarily in matters of natural, social and economic sciences
(73). This level contains in itself two lower levels as well – model of
ecological protection and model of environmental management.
Elements of the model at the fourth,
highest level make up a level of the wasteless society: the policy
represents the highest level of geobiosphere (14). It acts upon the lower
levels through the market and society, up to the nature, by intervening
through: global economy, measures of economic policy, and particularly
through introduction of third sector ( following the example of nature,
a reduction sector is introduced beside the production and consumption
sector, which takes care of closing the matter and energy cycles, either
only in the framework of man’s activities or in synergy with nature (21).
Man’s basic driving force are his spiritual needs (34), built and developed
upon the satisfied property, social and existential needs, with the possibility
of intervention in the area of philosophy, ethics and culture, particularly
through the shaping of responsibility for future generations (41). The
community (international) is certainly the highest level of organisation
(54), above the economic (corporate) entities, functional teams and individuals,
with the possibility of intervention through the regulation of aims performance
with certification of the whole system of decision-making and management
(61), through which the economic subjects prove that they respect the world
policy regarding the environment and that they behave responsibly toward
future generations. For the operation of the organisation an integrated
scientific approach to explaining and forecasting the phenomena is needed
(74), in order to be able to define the aims of social development within
the natural system (81). The policy of development (14) is formed on the
basis of this research.
6. application of the model
The model, the simple diagrammatic
representation of which is given in Fig. 6, gives a complex overview of
the society – nature relationships. It gives a basis for explanation of
the phenomena observed, but also a basis for the planning of development.
It can be used in two ways:
1. as a strive toward the establishment
of the fourth level, regardless of how far it may be from us, with the
aim to make corrections in our current behaviour and way of development,
and
2. for redefining our current system
of relations toward environment on the first, second and third level, or
in some of the categories of these levels, taking into account the complexity
of approaches and links of the elaborated model.
An example of how the model can be
used:
First way of using the model: Analysis
of natural processes (11 on Fig. 5) shows the cyclical movement of organic
matter on the planet through the producers, consumers and reducers of organic
mass. On the basis of this insight it was proposed to recognise on the
fourth level (21) the existence within the society (as well as in nature)
of three sectors (production and consumption sectors and sector that completes
the economic and natural flows). Elements of this sector exist today already
– utility companies, companies which perform the recycling – although they
are today within the production sector. Thus the application of the model
already at the present moment entails changes in the way of organisation
of the functioning of society upon earth – probably changes in the function
of and greater importance given to the utility companies.
Second way of using the model: Analysis
of a certain particular, isolated phenomenon – in the concrete case in
the area of education: Within school biology classes, Botanic (producers
of organic mass) is taught one year, another year Zoology (consumers),
while the third year is dedicated to the study of man. according to the
logic of the elaborated model, it is the reducers that should be taught
third year (which is not the case today), this giving an entirely different
(more realistic) perspective on nature, serving the concurrent educational
purpose. At the same time it would be a stimulus for an appropriate (different)
technical and bio-technological development.
7. conclusion
The wasteless society, for the purpose
of this paper, was defined as a society
which has clear aims of the development
in regard to nature – society relationship, and enough knowledge to direct
its development toward the realisation of the aims,
which is then realised through the
appropriate policy of development,
where every individual feels responsibility
in regard to future generations and
then introduces changes by organising
into economic entities which show their commitment to the realisation of
the aims by certifying their capability to answer to these tasks.
The aims themselves were not defined in
one direction only – the possibility of the existence of three variants
was shown: development of society without influence upon nature, development
with tolerable influence and joint development of society and nature.
The elaborated model recognises four
categories of events upon Earth (geobiosphere, man, man’s organisation
and knowledge). These four categories appear on 4 levels, in 2 forms (development
of levels and possibility of management – intervention). This gives 32
elements, the harmonious composition of which is in fact the wasteless
society.
From the aspect of levels, it was shown
that the first levels represents the ecological protection, second the
environmental management, third the sustainable development and fourth
the wasteless society. Of course, each of the levels contains the preceding
levels.
The model is applicable for correcting
the current state of things in any particular area, as well as in directing
the overall development.
This work was supported by the Research Support
Scheme of the OSI/HESP, grant No: 125/0096
|
Dr. Aleksandar
KNEZEVIC
CETEOR - Sarajevo
PRINCIPLES OF SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
Preface
Energy has an enormous effect on environment; this effect being
above all a positive one since it increases the temperature of the room
where man lives and works, it increases the quantity of light, it excersies
labor, it help man in thinking etc. In order to ensure a harmonic functioning
on energy production and use, the state should conduct an energy policy.
Energy also has big negative effects: thermal pollution of waterways and
acidification of atmosphere and soil, through the emission of carbon dioxide
it affects on climate changes. This is reason that the state must conduct
an environmental policy too. If the state conducts both policies integrally,
then it conducts the policy of sustainable energy, in the framework of
sustainable development practice.
The basic postulates of the sustainable energy are follows:
-
the imperatives of environment protection:
-
reducing the pollution caused by products of incomplete combustion on
the local level - small households and motor-driven vehicles,
-
reducing the pollution caused by acid products which affect the excessive
air pollution on long distances and
-
reducing the CO2 air pollution - the product which affect
the overheating of atmosphere and depleting of the ozone layer
-
while complying with the appropriate local regulations, state rules
and international conventions and agreements;
-
safety requirements, regarding the safe work with energy conversion
devices as well as regarding the safety of energy supply, which is carried
out by a variety of energy offers and the quality and flexibility of energy
conversion, transport and distribution devices, and the rational consumption
and use of energy;
-
-social-economic efficiency: on both sides - in the sphere of energy
transformation (supply) and in the sphere of energy use (consumption).
1. How does the state manage energy
As the two characteristic manifestations of energy are both beneficial
and detrimental to environment, the results of the energy policy of the
state can be measured with these two. A measure called eco-efficiency has
been introduced, the "eco" representing both economy and ecology. In the
field of the energy the eco-efficiency here is measured by the ratio of
the states' gross domestic product (GDP) and the emission into atmosphere
of sulfur dioxide, which up until recently was pollutant No 1. An analysis
of the eco-efficiency of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE)
conducted in relation to the countries of the European Union (EC) shows
that CEE countries have 17.5 times lower eco-efficiency. This ratio 17.5
can be shown as 2,5 x 7. Very simple analysis shows that factor 2,5 is
a consequence of technical structure in energy production and environmental
production, while factor 7 is a consequence of social inefficiency in the
energy use.
In the market economy countries, the state, naturally, runs energy
system, since this is one of the most important factors of development.
The manner in which it does so matches the one in other fields - i.e. through
market mechanisms. The state does not make decisions in the sphere of energy,
but it makes the rules of the game. The state introduces economic instruments
into the field of energy, and that in two groups - instruments of "sticks"
type, and instruments of the "carrot" type. The stick stimulates reductions
in fuel consumption, while the carrot help the consumers to respond to
the increased fuel prices by an increased efficiency of energy consumption.
It all comes down to the fact that there are two rules in the field of
energy:
-
the price of fuels should keep increasing, and the price growth projections
must be known to fuel consumer at long future period, and
-
the cost of energy supply and consumption must not grow/
The first requirement is a consequence of the fact that energy resources
must be used sparingly for the needs of the future generations, while energy
consumers must also pay for environmental damage and costs of the rehabilitation
thereof. The second requirement is a consequence of the intent to prevent
the increased fuel prices from slowing down the development, i.e. causing
inflationary tendencies. In order to help energy consumers respond to the
second requirement, the state introduces economic incentives to bolster
the energy efficiency (tax policy, customs, etc.). This speeds up the technological
development, in the sphere of energy equipment production as well as in
the sphere of energy use. The response of consumers to the increased energy
prices is observed by the elasticity factor. If it is equals -1, that means
the fuel consumption has decreased in the given period for as much as the
fuel prices have increased. If it equals zero, then it means that the market
does not response to the increased prices by decreasing fuel consumption.
The market economy countries have the fuels price elasticity factor of
-1, while this factor in the countries that had central planing economy
amounts about -0.2.
2. Where does the world energy goes
The first important response of the developed part of the world
in terms of rationalization of energy consumption took place following
two oil crises, when an internationalization of energy efficiency increase
costs was carried out, i.e. when at the end of the day the costs were transferred
onto these developing countries which do not have significant fossil resources.
The second challenge was caused by the acidification of atmosphere (due
to sulfur content in fossil fuels), while the third one was caused by changes
of climate which again were caused by carbon dioxide emission due to the
fossil fuel combustion.
This resulted in the fact that in the past few years there has been
an explosion of the realized and potential technical and technological
solutions for the reduction of energy consumption, and of substitutions
of certain fuels with others, and all that without slowing down the development.
The following examples speak for this statement:
-
the World Panel for Climate Change (UN body) in 1992 forecast an increase
in the global emission of CO2 from 36 billion tons annually
in 1992 to 128 billion tons in 2100; but three years later same body in
its report gave radically different forecast - only seven billion tons.
This difference is a consequence of potential new and extraordinary possibilities
of substituting fossil fuels by renewable fuels as well as by measures
for the improving energy efficiency,
-
OECD countries have set themselves a task to lower the energy consumption
for 40% in the next 40 years,
-
the UNEP and World Bank for reconstruction and Development in 1995 set
themselves a goal that in 2020 a total of 40% of the global energy should
be made from renewable resources through stimulating small private business,
etc.
Given the ongoing climate changes, in particular the obligations undertaken
at the Conference on Environment and Development, held in Rio in 1992,
the industrially developed countries were given concrete tasks regarding
the reduction of CO2 emission. It is estimated that they have
to invest between $100 and $150 per ton of the reduced emission of carbon.
Those are relatively high investments since these countries have exhausted
the known possibilities of further rationalization of energy consumption.
However, fortunately for them, the same reduction of CO2 emission
in the former socialist countries can be achieved by significantly lower
investments, while the effect on atmosphere is independent from the place
of emission reduction, because CO2 is a global pollutant. Poland
was the first country to make use of this possibility by offering developed
countries to very cheaply fulfill their planetary obligation in Poland.
The offer was accepted and significant foreign investments in the increase
of energy efficiency are currently underway in Poland. It is for the reason
that new world programs for energy efficiency increase support in developing
countries are made on a daily basis, especially in the countries in the
transition of social and economic system.
3. Energy policy in Sarajevo
The main finding of the Sarajevo energy policy research (1996-98)
was that the basis for energy strategy did not lie in the problems of energy
supply, as it was displayed in the study dated 1986, but that the focal
point must be the consumption which is basic generator of the overall energy
efficiency. Since the development of Sarajevo should be based on the principles
of sustainable development, the development of energy should also be based
on the principles of ENERGY SUSTAINABILITY.
In the framework of this paper, energy sustainability is defined
as:
-
increasing energy efficiency and decreasing environmental burdens,
-
preserving natural resources (fuels), and limiting pollution on the
local, state and global level,
-
directing the technological development towards less demanding activities
in terms of energy, and the development of technologies of energy conversion
on the basis of renewable and alternative resources.
4. How to implement the goals of energy efficiency
The realization of the plans, can be displayed by the application
of the life cycle decision circle (fig.1) The circle contains the following
elements: (1) goals, (2) resources, (3) instruments, (4) implementation,
(5) evaluation, (6) awareness-needs.
Fig. 1. Life cycle decision circle
The book "Goals of Reconstruction and Development of Sarajevo - Chapter:
Energy" made on the basis of mentioned research, has set the basic goals
of energy development in Sarajevo, which are here cited together with the
explanation of their meaning (tab. 1).
Tab.1. Goals of energy development in Sarajevo
|
Goal
|
explanation of the goal
|
| a. raising energy efficiency |
Increasing of the energy
efficiency is worlds' imperative as a response to climate changes. Increasing
the energy efficiency is necessary also to compensate the inevitable rise
of fuel prices caused by the increased environment protection costs and
by building new (more and more expensive) facilities for energy conversion |
| b. transition of energy
structure towards a sustainable one |
Energy has large impact
on human environment; positive (carrying out work, ensuring comfort of
living), as well as negative (climate changes, acidification of atmosphere,
pollution of soil with ash, terrain destruction). These contradictions
should be harmonized on the global and state level, as well as on the local
one |
| c. rationalization of
energy consumption |
The modern approach to
energy management, unlike the previous one which put in the first plan
energy supply, is directed towards the consumption sector where a rationalization
of energy consumption is required; this related to the entire chain - from
obtaining primary forms of energy, via secondary and final forms, all the
way to the conversion of energy into money or comfort |
| d. put energy on market
position |
Energy, due to its significance,
is at the same time considered to be both communal and economical sphere.
It is necessary to bring energy from the existing situation (energy is
nowadays treated more like communal sphere, while energy supply is treated
more like humanitarian need) closer to the economic sphere, which requires
changes in both the energy conversion enterprises (monopoly, privileged
position) and energy consumers (bearing real costs of energy consumption) |
| e. introducing the necessary
energy mix |
Ensuring safety in energy
requires the introduction of balance in the offer by types of fuels (coal,
gas, electric power, liquid fuel) as well as by the modalities of energy
conversion (individual, centralized), but also by the energy mix |
| f. introducing unconventional
fuels |
The IPCC (UN body that
monitors climate changes) has assessed that there already existed conditions
for an abrupt and quick reorientation in the technologies of energy conversion
from fossil fuels to intermittent ones (wind and solar energy…) and that
with costs which do not exceeded the costs of the use of conventional technologies.
This shows that these fuels can already be used in Sarajevo to a larger
extent than to date, while it is necessary to acquire knowledge and experience
for the forthcoming period of a more intensive use of unconventional sources
of energy |
| g. optimization of energy
system as a whole |
The energy system of the
Sarajevo Canton should be monitored, optimized and led as a whole, without
being limited to monitoring each segment (in a centralized or individual
manner) or each fuel (gas, coal, energy power…) separately. This requires
a different organization of communal services, and it is at the same time
connected with strengthening the market position of energy |
| h. securing alternative
gas supply |
Due to its environmental
characteristics (preserving clean air), gas has a significant role in Sarajevo.
This is way it is necessary to think about the ways of alternative gas
supply. This projects needs to be based on full economization and be led
by those who see economic interest in this project. |
| i. building an adequate
waste combustion facility |
The system of waste incineration
has a two-fold meaning (in terms of energy and in term of resolving the
problem of waste disposal), Since Sarajevo already has relatively modern
and unamortized boiler rooms, the best place to burn the waste (as alternative
fuel) is the Cement Plant in Kakanj (near Sarajevo) which would enable
the saving in liquid fuel up to 30,000 t/a |
| j. reducing fuel consumption
imported into Sarajevo, and increasing the export or services in the field
of energy |
Energy does not come down
to only getting and using fuel and converting energy from one form to another,
but it also encompasses activities related to setting the energy structure
(engineering, project design, measuring, expertise…), Sarajevo imports
fuels and in large part energy equipment as well. Sarajevo needs to compensate
this import through the activities of its engineering companies and product
organizations, in order to turn from a net importer into a net exporter
of energy. |
The resources for the implementation of
goals are the following: human resources (organization), built resources
(equipment), natural resources (primary fuels) and financial resources.
The goals in the field of energy may
be achieved if:
-
there is an energy strategy (of the state,
federation, cantons) which would stimulate the increase of energy efficiency
and put energy in a market position,
-
significant changes are made in the Sarajevo
communal system, regarding to overall position as well as organization,
-
production companies which must manage
its energy consumption on the market conditions (unlike the to-date approach
in which energy was an inevitable and uncontrollable expenditure),
-
the citizens (householders) adjust to
the ever-increasing costs of fuels.
Therefore, human resources for achieving
goals in the field of energy are the managing structures in state bodies
at all levels, as well as the managing bodies in companies, but also citizens
themselves, It is necessary to increase the ability of those human resources.
The already built resources are: relatively well built and reconstructed
infrastructure for fuel supply and energy conversion, as well as high availability
of fuels at the market. Among the fuels (natural resources) on the territory
of the Canton, there are wood biomass (in the function of sanitary woodcutting),
solar energy (important flux in winter period) and geothermal energy on
the territory of municipality of Ilidza.
Significant financial resources can
be provided through international cooperation on the programs of energy
efficiency increase (there are several dozen programs with significant
funds for countries of central and East Europe only, but funds can be used,
but practically nobody uses to-day.
5. Closing remarks
The realization of sustainable energy
on the territory of Sarajevo includes the needs to learn to control the
entire process, which contains the following elements:
| knowing the goals |
harmonization with other
sector goals |
| managing the resources |
human (administration and
consumers), built (energy infrastructure), natural (fuels) and financial
(domestic and foreign funds) |
| introducing instruments |
economic policy, programs
and training |
| implementation |
through programs of the
Canton: criteria and tools of sustainable development |
| evaluation |
continued quantitative
monitoring of the results through energy sustainable indicators |
| directing the needs and
raising awareness |
in order to achieve the
total sustainability of development in particular time sections, and the
repetition of the circle on a higher level of the total efficiency of the
conversion of energy into money and comfort |
| redefining the goals |
after some time and in
the conditions of changed needs |
|
