Researcher(s):
Keith Morency
ENVS course(s): 400 Initiated: January 2016 Completed: April 2016 Go to project site
|
As the international community begins to unravel the results and implications of COP21, there will be significant conversation surrounding the multiple strategies that have been proposed to reduce emissions in the developing world. One country in particular, Myanmar, presents a very interesting case study for this intersection of international climate politics and domestic development patterns. Significant political changes have occurred here over the past three years, allowing for unprecedented economic liberalization and development opportunities after nearly 50 years as a pariah state. As Myanmar has begun to move into this new age, so too has its new government begun developing a National Electrification Plan in conjunction with the World Bank and several independent energy producers. The goal of this plan is to bring higher quality, consistent electricity to nearly 30 million people, the majority of whom have little or no access to electricity.
I will be approaching this case study from a political economy perspective, meaning that I will be predominantly focusing on the interactions between the state of Myanmar, international organizations, and the private business sector. The goal will be to investigate the motivations, both public and private, of actors who are currently influencing the National Electrification Plan. Ultimately, the hope is that I will be able to make recommendations for the National Electrification Plan based on extensive research into the current renewable energy market, international funding opportunities, and the political climate in Myanmar. There will also be an extensive analysis of the ethical and social justice concerns associated with mass infrastructure development, as well as the pros and cons of the different scales of energy development projects.