Headline: Side Event: “Towards sustainable energy security in a water-constrained world”

In October 2015, South Africa will become the sixth country, and the first in Africa, to host the International Renewable Energy Conference (IREC). Convened by the Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21), IREC is a high-level political conference series hosted by a national government. On 5 October, Greenpeace Africa, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the World Bank and the IASS are organising a Side Event on the topic “Towards sustainable energy security in a water-constrained world”.

By 2035, it is estimated that energy demand will grow by 50% and associated water needs by 85%. In an increasingly water-constrained world, competition between different end-uses, such as agriculture and energy production, is intensifying. In fact, water scarcity is a key development challenge of the 21st century with 2.8 billion people living in areas of high water stress. In future, this number will increase dramatically: the UN estimates a 40% shortfall in global water supply by 2030. As energy relies on water, this trend poses risks for energy security. Water is already a key risk for utilities, further compounded by climate uncertainties. Energy sector planning needs to account for these constraints and strive towards reducing the water intensity of production to improve resilience and to contribute to water security.

This side event endows participants with arguments and tools for transformations towards sustainable power generation in a water-constrained world. It addresses the vulnerability of conventional plants to water constraints and presents the potential of renewables for mitigating water risks as some technologies withdraw up to 200 times less water than conventional plants. Taking the example of South Africa, it will highlight the impact of coal on water security and illustrate different approaches for integrated energy-water planning.

More information: