Asia Pacific waking up to Green Manufacturing and Clean Energy
With the earth evidently withering under the impact of pollutants and manifesting it in the form of alarming global warming and the growing dearth of invaluable natural resources, green manufacturing is the crucial need of the hour. The demand for green manufacturing is increasing at a phenomenal rate throughout the world and manufacturers not subscribing to the same are bound to lag behind.
To introduce Green Manufacturing in simple terms, it is the process of boosting productivity and profitability, while at the same time minimizing the negative impacts that the process might have on the environment. In other words, green manufacturing refers to sustainable manufacturing practices that are both efficient and environment-friendly.
The drive for clean energy has prompted most countries in the world to set specific goals and take serious steps to attain those. Asian Countries have exhibited much proactiveness in this respect, including India. One of the most recent example is the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between India and Scotland with the aim of collectively boost innovation in renewable energy and increase supplies of wind energy, solar energy and biofuels.
It has been estimated that clean energy investments may reach a global US $115 billion by the end of 2009, with China making the largest contributing in the Asia Pacific region in terms of energy efficiency. Both China and India are manufacturing clean technology equipment, without either having committed to any lower limit with regards to carbon emissions. While China is surging ahead with its clean energy mission, India is not lagging too far behind. India exhibited a 12 percent hike in sustainable energy investment since 2007 and is aiming to have 5 percent of its energy manufactured from renewable resources by 2010.
Comparatively, Indonesia is running a lot behind. Last September, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono announced the aim of the country to cut down carbon emissions by 26 percent by 2020. On top of that, Indonesia requires to bring electricity to 82 million rural Indonesians, 55 gigawatts of power and clean energy for 20,000 captive private sector power stations. For the records, Indonesia accounts for one of the highest production of carbon dioxide in the world.
Aid from the developed world is much in need to carry on and boost clean energy programs in the developing nations. But the developed countries are still recovering from the aftereffects of recession and aid might be far away.
