5 December 2006

Mr. Deputy Director of the Energy Efficiency Department!
Distinguished participants!

I am very pleased to participate in today's event devoted to the issue of wood biomass utilization – the subject of which is a high priority both to the Belarusian government and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Since 2003, UNDP has been cooperating with the Energy Efficiency Committee and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) on implementation of the biomass energy project funded by the Global Environment Facility.

The biomass project is a very complex and challenging endeavour that aims to promote the development of a new market for Belarus by comprehensively addressing a whole range of issues – from biomass production and supply to technical applications in woodwaste utilization and financial mechanisms.

The project is implemented at a critical time for the Belarusian economy, with the Government setting ambitious targets in terms of sustained economic growth, social development and energy consumption.

Energy efficiency and energy security have been identified as key components of the national development process, which underline the economy's ability to meet the ever increasing needs.

In this context, UNDP is pleased to see that the biomass project is making its contribution to the gradual re-shaping of the national energy sector toward a more sustainable and climate change-neutral development path.

Increased utilization of local renewable sources of energy, like wood biomass, offers a way of diversifying Belarus' energy production, thereby reducing the current high dependency on energy imports.

At the same time, wood biomass is considered by the international community an environmentally much friendlier alternative to another domestic fuel targeted by the Belarusian Government – peat. The experience of UNDP worldwide clearly indicates that extraction of this non-renewable source of energy not only threatens landscape and biological integrity, but also leads to huge carbon dioxide emissions.

So, in complement to the efforts of another UNDP GEF-funded initiative that aims to restore over 40,000 hectares of degraded peatlands, the biomass project is now exploring the opportunities of assisting one of the heat and energy producers in Belarus to shift from peat to wood biomass. If successful, this partnership could provide a valid example for replication across Belarus, thus helping the country to pursue a more consistent strategy, whereby its economic and energy policies are balanced with environmental requirements.

The international community treats Belarus as an important player in the fight against climate change, as illustrated by the recent decision of the Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, whereby Belarus will be included in Annex B to the Kyoto Protocol with an 8% emission reduction target.

At the same time, the international community welcomed Belarus' agreement to use the revenues generated by the Kyoto mechanisms for further greenhouse gas emission abatement measures, thus emphasizing the need for sustainable environmental, economic and energy policies.

Sustainable environment and energy are among UNDP's key priorities worldwide and renewable energy and energy efficiency initiatives will continue to be a priority in our cooperation with the Government of Belarus. And I believe our joint wood biomass project will prove a major milestone in this cooperation.

I wish you successful and productive work during the workshop.

Thank you!

Print version