According to recent studies, GCC countries could potentially have to reduce hydrocarbon exports by the end of the next decade if they continue at current rates of energy consumption growth. This was a key discussion opener for Brett Doherty, RasGas Company Chief Safety Health, Environment and Quality Officer in the framing lecture addressing the core issue of development of energy efficiency policies at the 2nd Doha Carbon and Energy Forum (DCEF).
Given the region’s heavy dependence on oil and gas wealth to fund development, countries’ approach to energy efficiency practices today will have far reaching implications for their future. Governments have a big role to play in setting policies that would secure long-term sustainable environmental protection with economic and social development.
“Energy efficiency measures can be difficult to deploy because of the inability to capture broadly dispersed benefits and uncertainties in quantifying them. When governments develop policies to overcome these difficulties, organisations supporting sustainable development are duty bound and empowered to integrate energy efficiency measures in their practices bringing overall benefits to the country,” Doherty said.
Providing practical examples from the energy industry in Qatar, Doherty suggested Qatar Petroleum’s Energy Efficiency Programme provides a good model for other sectors such as commercial, residential buildings and transportation to adopt.
“In line with the Qatar National Vision 2030, RasGas welcomes the opportunity to support the government’s push for better use and conservation of the country’s natural resources for the benefit of its long-term sustainable development,” concluded Doherty.