14 Nov 2016

Stakeholders in the energy sector have been encouraged to be apt to ascertain clean energy is realised in Botswana.

Principal officer in the Department of Energy, Mr Kesetsenao Molosiwa made the call at a workshop in Maun recently.

Mr Molosiwa said policy and regulations were not in place locally which he said would be probable only through conviction of legislation by the stakeholders.

He noted that the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) through the Global Fuel Economy Initiative (GFEI) has identified Botswana to be assisted on environmental issues.

However, he said UNEP was only a catalyst therefore stakeholders should ensure necessary frame works were put in place.

The purpose of the event was to brainstorm and develop a roadmap for Botswana policies that might encourage the use of more fuel efficient vehicles in Botswana as GFEI supports countries to introduce cost-effective policies to improve the average fuel economy of their vehicle fleets.

“Improved fuel economy has significant benefits, including lower CO2 emissions, oil imports and financial savings. GFEI has set a target of doubling the fuel efficiency of new vehicles globally by 2030,” reads a statement from the Department of Energy.

In his remarks, Department of Energy, principal energy officer, Mr Mosimagape Mhaladi said issues of energy cut across all sectors.
Mr Mhaladi noted that Botswana and the world at large were grappling with effects of climate change such as drought.

However, he reiterated that Botswana did not have a climate change policy in place. He also said lack of data delayed implementation of such policy.

He however said the department of energy has carried out a study recently between July and October to establish trends on fuel economy in Botswana in particular to light duty vehicles; the study was confined from 2010- 2012.

Some of the study findings were that second hand vehicles were more than new vehicles, while diesel consumption vehicles were more than petrol vehicles.

The GFEI, he said was incepted in 2009 to assist developing countries in relation to emissions of greenhouse effects and other gases.

An Official from UNEP, Ms Jane Akumu said the GFEI was supporting countries to develop and implement fuel economy policies.

“Measures successfully deployed include import regulation (regulating import of old vehicles), emissions standards, fiscal measures (reforming taxes to reduce taxes on efficient vehicles and increase taxes on inefficient vehicles), she said.

The other important measure, she said was labeling (standardised labeling indicating efficiency of cars in showrooms), removal of the oldest vehicles (rebate or cash for clunkers schemes), removal of fuel subsidies, fast tracking new technology introduction (hybrids and EVs) and others. ends