MoEE joins UN Roundtable on Extractive Industries online

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Electricity and Energy U Than Zaw joined the Extractive Industries, Sustainable Development and the 2030 Agenda in Asia and the Pacific online conference hosted by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) in Bangkok yesterday.
At the conference, the Permanent Secretary said that plans to reduce carbon emission were discussed at the Climate Ambition Summit on 12 December 2020 and, he explained the implementation plan for expansion of carbon sink in Myanmar: to expand the 10% of the country’s total area into Protected Area Systems, to continue the conservation of 0.25 million hectares of forest as public farmland and to conserve the private land in accordance with the Myanmar Reforestation and Rehabilitation Plan from 2017 to 2027.
He added the energy efficiency process of Myanmar, which is being carried out effectively by setting goals and the plan to distribute Fuel-Efficient Stoves in 2010-2030 to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
He also discussed the use of about 45% of natural gas, including LNG, 54% of renewable energy, and 1% of other energy, mainly focusing on using the renewable energy in Myanmar; the aim of the Ministry to have 100% electricity nationwide by 2030; implementation of expanding wind and solar power plants to produce LNG and natural gas domestically; plan to expand renewable energy to 2,000 MV by 2030 and the active participation of Myanmar as a member in the International Solar Alliance (ISA).
The conference was attended by the representatives from ESCAP and respective countries and discussed the work to reduce fossil fuel consumption, increase the use of clean energy and renewable energy for the development of the Green Growth and Green Economy sector, the socio-economic and environmental development and more employment opportunities in Extractive Industry sector and current policies, strategies and technologies.—MNA (Translated by EPPA)