Title: Developments in the energy sector and growing environmental issues in the South Pacific

Authors: Nirwan Idrus, Nazrul Islam

Addresses: Chief Executive Officer & Director, Otago Polytechnic, Dunedin, New Zealand; previously Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Papua New Guinea University of Technology, Lae, Papua New Guinea. ' Senior Lecturer in Economics, Papua New Guinea University of Technology, PMB, Lae, Papua New Guinea

Abstract: It is increasingly the case that developing countries generally face a real dilemma in their stride towards developed status. Many sacrifices have to be made in socio-cultural areas as well as in their physical stature. The global pressure on responsible environmental management hits these countries most of all. The Pacific Island countries face some formidable challenges in this respect, particularly as global environmental changes can affect many of them directly, e.g. the rising sea level, while the need for energy increases at a high rate to satisfy the requirements of development. It is concluded that a substantial reorganisation of existing policy strategies is necessary to achieve the balance between energy requirements and environmental sustainability.

Keywords: developing countries; energy policy; environmental policy; Papua New Guinea; petroleum; environmental pollution; energy resources; South Pacific region; technology; environmental sustainability; sustainable development.

DOI: 10.1504/IJGEI.1994.063522

International Journal of Global Energy Issues, 1994 Vol.6 No.1/2, pp.19-27

Published online: 16 Jul 2014 *

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