International Energy Policy for Development : Human Rights and Sustainable Development Law Imperatives

Energy is critical to all aspects of human development. Modern life is possible only because of the opportunities afforded by modern energy systems. From cooking, to lighting and heating, to transport, access to energy is critical. Governments around the world recognise the linkage between human development and access to safe, secure, and affordable sources of energy. However, many people around the world have access to only rudimentary and inadequate energy sources, depriving them of opportunities for economic development and creating serious health risks. Even in countries in which access to energy services is adequate, the provision of those services has both health and environmental effects. In particular, the production of energy using fossil fuels generates greenhouse gases that contribute significantly to climate disruption, which is likely to create disproportionate risks to the very undeveloped nations already suffering from a lack of access to adequate energy supplies.This chapter presents a framework for understanding these energy challenges in the context of sustainable development. It argues that there are three important ways in which energy is related to sustainable development: a) energy as a necessity for meeting basic human needs energy; b) as a source of environmental stress; and c) energy as a key driver of macroeconomic growth. These three dimensions correspond to the three dimensions of the oft-cited sustainable development tripod: environmental, economic, and social. Using this conceptual framework, the chapter discusses how international law deals with the challenges of energy access in sustainable development and how it ultimately guides decision-making in energy investments. The basic goals of international energy policy are well suited to delivering sustainable energy outcomes by balancing the three elements of sustainable development. However, for this to be achieved, it is necessary to articulate and deploy a legal framework that is capable of guiding disparate energy investments and innovations along a sustainable pathway. An overarching theme that emerges from this analysis is that a robust framework on energy for development must have at its centre, a human rights and sustainable development focus