Pakistan's Energy Challenges: a Seminar Supported by USAID

March 2010 – Eager to learn how energy efficiency and renewable energy can help Pakistan address its energy challenges, representatives from the country's public and private sectors gathered on February 23, 2010, for a seminar on energy conservation & environment.

The event was organized by Senator (R) Rukhsana Zuberi, chairperson of the Pakistan Engineering Council; Senator Zuberi is known for providing a fresh outlook on the Pakistani energy sector by encouraging new solutions to the country's current energy crisis. The senator hosted the event through the Islamabad-based NGO Women in Energy, which she also heads.

USAID supported the program by providing experts who shared successful international experiences in implementing energy efficiency and renewable energy programs that could prove helpful for Pakistan. Participating in the seminar were a number of senators, parliamentarians and members of civil society.

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy: Strategies for Success

Senator Zuberi identified generation through renewable energy and energy conservation as two vital components of any strategy to overcome Pakistan’s energy crisis and to power economic growth. She acknowledged that implementation of such programs would require strong technical expertise, as well as participation from both government and civil society.

Energy experts Dan Potash from USAID’s Energy Policy Project and Alexander Filippov from USAID’s Energy Efficiency and Capacity Project and the Alliance to Save Energy outlined benefits and opportunities of renewable energy and energy efficiency investments. They highlighted success stories from India and the United States, where energy demand has been significantly reduced with the integration of building energy codes into energy policies.

Parliamentarians recognized that power shortages and resulting unemployment ranked among the most destabilizing factors in their country. As such, they were very enthusiastic about replicating internationally successful approaches for energy conservation and renewable energy promotion in Pakistan.

A Look Ahead: Continued Collaboration

The seminar proved to be a successful platform for bringing together international energy experts with Pakistani policy makers and members of civil society to discuss a topic critical to Pakistan’s energy security and economic growth. Participants agreed that such seminars can help educate elected representatives as well as the broader population on the full range of options available to Pakistan as it seeks to resolve its pressing energy problems.

Senator Zuberi noted USAID's support of her initiative, which aims to generate public discussion on Pakistan's energy challenges. She also committed to follow up with a larger group of legislators and members of civil society.

In the near future, Women in Energy will carry out awareness activities to educate the public on reducing energy consumption by changing their behavior, using energy-efficient appliances and adopting available solar energy technologies.