Land, energy and water resource management and its impact on GHG emissions, electricity supply and food production
Insights from a Ugandan case study
Abstract
Using a Ugandan case study, the paper highlights the impact that one policy change in the energy system will have on other resource systems. The study focuses on deforestation, long term electricity supply planning, crop production, water consumption, land-use change and climate impacting greenhouse gas (GHG) trajectories. In this study, an open-source integrated modelling framework is used to map the ripple effects of a policy change related to reducing biomass consumption.The study finds that, despite the reduction in deforestation of woodlands and forests, the GHG emissions in the power sector are expected to increase in between 2040–2050, owing to higher fossil fuel usage. This policy change is also likely to increase the cost of electricity generation, which in turn affects the agricultural land types. There is an unforeseen shift from irrigated to rainfed type land due to higher electricity costs. With this integrated model setup for Uganda, the paper highlight the need for integrated policy planning that takes into consideration the interlinkages between the resource systems and cross propagation effects.
This research is part of the Energy and Economic Growth Applied Research Programme
Citation
Vignesh Sridharan et al 2020 Land, energy and water resource management and its impact on GHG emissions, electricity supply and food production- Insights from a Ugandan case study Environ. Res. Commun. 2 085003