Iran will be forced to import energy in 2024 if current patterns of energy consumption do not change, warned the head of National Center for Weather and Climate.
“Based on extensive studies, Iran risks energy deficit in less than 10 years unless we take steps to address the problem,” Ali Rajabi was quoted as saying by Fars News Agency.
He said increasing energy efficiency in manufacturing and industrial units will go a long way in thwarting the looming problem and stressed that those units must be upgraded to comply with international standards.
Rajabi pointed to Iran’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 and said, “We produced 540 million tons of carbon dioxide in 2010, but that figure has jumped to nearly 800 million tons this year.
“Unless action is taken, Iran will produce 1.8 billion tons of carbon dioxide a year in 2025.”
Iran is currently the world’s 11th largest emitter of carbon dioxide and it is the biggest greenhouse polluter that has yet to submit its Climate Action Plan to the United Nations.
Last week, Majid Shafipour, Iran’s lead envoy in UN climate negotiations, said the country will submit its detailed plan of action by mid-November, adding that Iran could quadruple its efforts to curb fossil fuel emissions when economic sanctions imposed by the USA, UN and European Union are lifted.
Shafipour said Iran, which has the world’s fourth-largest oil reserves, needs to carry out a “radical renovation” of its energy sector to reduce emissions.
“Iran’ plan is to focus first on energy efficiency measures, then to extend the use of less carbon-intensive fossil fuels, primarily natural gas, and then move toward renewables,” he said.
