The use and cost of energy affects each of us every
day of our lives. Many issues arise from the use
of energy: greenhouse gas emissions, acid rain,
climate change, dependency on depleting supplies
of fossil fuels – especially from politically unstable
regions of the world.
80%
of the world's electrical production comes from
fossil and nuclear fuels, and virtually all transportation
is fueled by petroleum.
The
World Energy Council projects primary energy demand
to triple by 2050, as population grows to 8-9 billion
and developing nations elevate living standards.
The
fossil fuels by definition are nonrenewable and
are destined to run out – so economies will be forced
to change as these fuels are depleted. Rich nations
will be insulated a bit longer, yet scarcity will
surely create geopolitical tensions.
The
emissions from the burning of fossil and nuclear
fuels creates atmospheric, water and land pollution
and toxic waste. The United Nations Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) says this combustion
is causing a discernible change of the global weather
and climate patterns that will affect all humanity
in decades to come.
