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4 December, 2008
The Politics of Hydrogen: Panel Discussion and Book Launch
The United Nations University organized a book launch panel discussion on The Politics of Hydrogen. This event launched the book "Making Choices about Hydrogen: Transport Issues for Developing Countries", published by UNU Press, Tokyo, Japan. The speakers for the event were; Dr. Lynn K. Mytelka, co-editor of the book ; and Dr. Boni Mehlomakulu, the Group Executive, Research, Development and Innovation, in the Department of Science and Technology (DST), the Government of South Africa.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE EVENT WAS ORGANIZED AT 2 SEPARATE LOCATIONS ON SUCCESSIVE DAYS
VENUE I: NEW YORK
Thursday, December 4, 2008: New York
WHERE: Conference Room 8, UN Headquarters, New York
WHEN: 01:15pm to 2:45pm
Photographs and audio of the event
Photos by Durlabh S. Maharishi
VENUE II: WASHINGTON DC
Friday, December 5, 2008: Washington DC
WHERE: Global Environment Facility (GEF) Secreteriat,1818 H Street, NW, MSN G6-602, Washington, DC 20433
WHEN: 12:30pm to 2:00pm
Photos by Durlabh S. Maharishi
The objective of the event was to launch the book with a stimulating discussion on the matter of hydrogen as potential 'oil' for the future and the anticipated time for such a future to become present. Since the mid-1990s emergence of hydrogen based economy and the speed with which it will arrive have been vigorously debated. How to deal with competing arguments that push the hydrogen economy into the longer term (2050) and those that place its advent in a shorter-term perspective (2020) is one key issue for developing countries today as they explore their options for the design of national energy, environment and transport policies.
The book "Making Choices about Hydrogen: Transport Issues for Developing Countries" explores a broad range of choices/issues that developing countries face in planning for their long term energy security. It argues that while major challenges remain - including cost and reliability issues - a hydrogen economy could be within reach if policymakers make radically new choices now. For developing country policymakers in particular, this requires rejecting the 'inevitability' of paths taken by industrialized countries and moving away from 'use up and clean up' fuel production and distribution structures to embrace cleaner and more efficient technology combinations (such as wind and solar-driven hydrogen production).
The speakers for this event were;
Dr. Lynn K. Mytelka, is the co-editor of the book and also the coordinator of the UNU Hydrogen Fuel Cell project
Dr. Boni Mehlomakulu is Group Executive of Research, Development and Innovation, in the Department of Science and Technology (DST) of the Government of South Africa.
Professor Mytelka, gave an overview of the issues raised in the book and why it is important for developing countries to add hydrogen to their portfolio of energy choices now. And Dr. Mehlomakulu highlighted the work of South Africa's Green Transport Programme and progress in implementing the country's new Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Research, Development and Innovation Strategy.
The publication of this unique volume has been particularly timely in light of the current global uncertainty posed by rising fuel prices and the impacts of climate change. Through a series of case studies the book examines the experiences of diverse countries - both developed and developing - in experimenting with a range of alternative fuel sources and formulating country-appropriate roadmaps to scale up their sustainable transport programmes. Using country studies of China, Brazil, India, Iceland, South Africa, Egypt, Malaysia, USA, Canada and Nigeria, the book examines the debate about hydrogen & fuel cells from multiple perspectives -that of renewable alternatives, as well as the oil and automobile industries.
The event was co-sponsored by UNU Press, Tokyo, Japan and UNU-MERIT (Maastricht Economic and social Research and training centre on Innovation and Technology).
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Page last modified Last modified: February 09 2010 at 12:08:21 PM.
