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Abstract
Afghanistan has no significant contribution to global Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions; however, it is deeply affected by the impacts of climate change. The primary cause of climate change and global warming is the GHG emissions resulting from the continued use of non-renewable energy resources such as fossil fuels (coal, petroleum, and natural gas). On the other hand, renewable energy resources (e.g., hydropower, solar, wind, hydrothermal, biomass) serve as alternatives to non-renewable energy sources and are essential means of mitigating and adapting to climate change. Renewable energy sources, including hydropower, solar, wind power, and biomass, are abundant, and their capacity far exceeds the total national electricity demand. With vast electricity potential, abundant water resources, and extensive arable land, Afghanistan has significant capacity to adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate change. Therefore, the main objective of this paper is to assess the country's renewable energy resources and their role in climate change mitigation and sustainable development.
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References
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References
Anderegg, W. R. L.; Prall, J. W.; Harold, J.; Schneider, S. H. Expert Credibility in Climate Change. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A., 2010, 107 (27), 12107–12109. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1003187107.
Melillo, J. M.; Richmond, T.; Yohe, G. Climate Change Impacts in the United States: Northeast. Clim. Chang. Impacts United States Third Natl. Clim. Assess., 2014, 371–395. https://doi.org/10.7930/J0SF2T3P.On.
Kelly, R. A. Energy Supply and Renewable Resources; An imprint of Infobase Publishing 132 West 31st Street New York NY 10001: New York NY 10001, 2007.
Ahrens, C. D. Meteorology Today: An Introduction to Weather, Climate, and the Environment Ninth Edition, Ninth Edit.; Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning: 10 Davis Drive Belmont, CA 94002 USA, 2009.
Hansen, J.; Ruedy, R.; Sato, M.; Lo, K.; Office, M.; Centre, H. Global Surface Temperature Change. Am. Geophys. Union, 2010, 4 (4), 30–35. https://doi.org/10. 1111/j.0033-0124.1952.44_30.x.
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Climate Change Synthesis Report; 2015; Vol. 218. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-0248(00)00575-3.
Hyndman, D.; Hyndman, D. Natural Hazards and Disasters, Third Edit.; Brooks-Cole, Cengage Learning: Belmont, CA 94002-3098 USA, 2011.
INDC. Intended Nationally Determined Contribution Submission to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan; 2015.
Aich, V.; Akhundzadah, N. A.; Knuerr, A.; Khoshbeen, A.; Hattermann, F.; Paeth, H.; Scanlon, A.; Paton, E. Climate Change in Afghanistan Deduced from Reanalysis and Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment (CORDEX)-South Asia Simulations. Climate, 2017, 5 (2), 38. https://doi.org/ 10.3390/cli5020038.
Savage, M.; Dougherty, B.; Hamza, M.; Butterfield, R.; Bharwani, S. Socio-Economic Impacts of Climate Change in Afghanistan A Report to the Department for International Development; Kräftriket 2B SE 106 91 Stockholm Sweden, 2009.
McSweeney, C.; New, M.; Lizcano, G. UNDP Climate Change Country Profiles Documentation. 2007, 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1007/82.
Ahmad, M.; Wasiq, M. Water Resource Development in Northern Afghanistan and Its Implications for Amu Darya Basin; 2004. https://doi.org/10.1596/0-8213-5890-1.
Ghulami, M. Assessment of Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources and Agriculture in Data-Scarce Kabul Basin. 2018, No. December 2017, 146
UNEP. Post-Conflict Environmental Assessment Afghanistan; 2003.
Ahmad, M.; Wasiq, M. Water Resource Development in Northern Afghanistan and Its Implications for Amu Darya Basin; 2004.
Iqbal, M. S.; Dahri, Z. H.; Querner, E. P.; Khan, A.; Hofstra, N. Impact of Climate Change on Flood Frequency and Intensity in the Kabul River Basin. Geosci., 2018, 8 (4). https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences8040114.
NEPA. Climate Change and Governance In Afghanistan; 2015; Vol. 16.
NEPA. Second National Communication Under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC); 2017.
Central Statistics Organization. Afghanistan Living; 2016; Vol. 14.
Fichtner. Technical Assistance Consultant’s Report Islamic Republic of Afghanistan: Power Sector Master Plan Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Ministry of Energy and Water; 2013.
World Bank. World Bank; 2019.
Anwarzai, M. A.; Nagasaka, K. Utility-Scale Implementable Potential of Wind and Solar Energies for Afghanistan Using GIS Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. 2017. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. rser.2016.12.048.
Modrzejewska-leśniewska, J. Renewable Resources of Energy in Afghanistan Odnawialne Źródła Energii w Afganistanie. 2012, 185–206.
IRENA. International Renewable Energy Agency. Renewable Power Generation Costs in 2017; 2018.
Milbrandt, A.; Overend, R. Assessment of Biomass Resources in Afghanistan Assessment of Biomass Resources in Afghanistan. Nrel, 2011, No. January.