The level of growth in Africa and the Middle East is almost unprecedented. While this growth brings prosperity to the regions, it also offers a platform for smart development, setting energy policies that go beyond their vast wealth of fossil fuels base. If planned well, the regions could jet past all other countries through the use of their own hidden wealth of renewable and sustainable energy sources.

The Middle East and Africa are well known for their fossil fuels and have been a resource for the rest of the world. This catapulted former underdeveloped and barren communities into some of the world’s richest areas. The question for development that is currently being faced is how these regions can continue their growth while diminishing their own reliance on oil and oil products. Energy policies are being examined to address the intensity of growth and expansion, which will soon outplay electricity needs to the point of potentially importing oil.

IEA is working with the various governments to develop new infrastructures and plans to address and meet the population growth and power needs, while balancing the requirements with solar and wind power sources. The future of these regions also offer the ability of exporting the renewable energy sources throughout the Mediterranean Basin. This is a complete win strategy as they reduce their carbon footprint, accommodate the population energy needs and also encourage profits and a return on investment with alternative energy.

It might seem to be a strange concept to research and build renewable and sustainable energy in areas that are rich in oil and fossil fuels, but their future depends on the eventual reduction and elimination of those dependencies. This is a radical change of direction and, if planned well, should be an example for the rest of the world.

Source: http://www.iea.org/newsroomandevents/news/2012/december/name,34534,en.html

3 Responses to “Middle East and African Economies Strengthened with Energy Policies”

1. 1
   PlayItAgain Says:
   

   What an incredible step in the right direction, and one that is totally unexpected. Before the global need for so much oil, these people were just a group of random desert leaders, with very little in the way of wealth or growth. Oil made them rich and over the years they have evolved into some of the world’s greatest thinkers and planners. They are now demonstrating their savvy attitudes with some visionary thinking and moving beyond what they see as energy that will soon be low in demand. There is a global attitude to move towards sustainable energy and they are ahead of the game.

   July 15th, 2013 at 11:27 pm
2. 2
   Can'tDance Says:
   

   Just read that America is exporting a ton of coal and trying to make a profit on something that is still high polluting. Many other countries are letting these energies go and moving to alternative energies that will pay for themselves and make them money. Why can’t we be doing this? Are our politicians and corporate heads so short sighted?

   July 14th, 2013 at 5:23 pm
3. 3
   PartlyRight Says:
   

   The U.S. should be watching these countries. They are already planning for a low demand of fossil fuels and looking to the next ways to not only keep their countries supplied with energy, but potentially maintain their lead as energy sources. Good for them.

   July 13th, 2013 at 8:52 am

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