Energy Has Been the Driving Force of World Economies - Essay Example

?DISCUSS THE EXTENT TO WHICH ENERGY SECURITY AND REDUCING CARBON EMISSIONS CAN BE COMPATIBLE AIMS FOR COUNTRIES. ILLUSTRATE YOUR ANSWER WITH REFERENCE TO CHINA AND ONE OTHER COUNTRY by Author’s Name Name of the Class Name of the Professor Name of the School City, State 7 April 2013 Introduction Energy has been the driving force of world economies and development. Countries with different available forms of energy regardless of their sources have managed to boost their economies and better the lives of their citizens. However, energy plays both destructive and beneficial roles within the society and its environment. Governments, especially those from emerging and third world countries are working out to ensure they become industrialized countries in the near future; this has to be accomplished through the utilization of the available sources of energies, from hydropower, natural resources and coal among others, most of them putting little effort in measures of environmental conservation. So far, these groups of countries have the largest oil and gas reserves, among other sources of energy. If they continue to ignore environmental concern, based on the poor control of carbon emissions in their industries, they then pose a great danger in the future generation and climate, all in the name of industrialization. To achieve sustainable development, countries have tried to make sufficient incentive to control production and consumption, as a way of ensuring development while limiting environmental problems. Investing in Alternative energies: In the age of western countries industrialization, their development was driven by energy sources (coal) with high carbon emissions, which countries like China have followed suit to drive their economies. Coal, which is known to emit the highest GHG emissions than any fossil fuels, largely contributed to the global warming problem the world is experiencing today. Although most critics point out to China for their high use in coal energy over the last 3 decades, the developed nations (USA and Europe countries) first led the world to the problem in their industrialization. Today, countries have to adjust to better and safer energies like solar power, nuclear, hydropower, geothermal and renewable energies, other than fossil fuels (Shah, 2011). It is an effective strategy too because it would help countries to venture into newer energies, since the coal, oil, and gas resources are highly depleting. It does not come as a shock, because most developing countries may lack the power to acquire nuclear energy, but at least have and are aware of other alternative energy sources. According to Gallagher, China’s concern on environmental problems has pushed it to pursue renewable energy; it has so far acted towards ethanol production, and progressively installed small hydropower, solar hot water, and installed wind capacity to add up what accounts from existing hydropower and nuclear energy (n.d.). The adjustments need investment, further research, and early planning to ensure countries develop with uninterrupted energy supply in future. It is a challenge for developed, emerging, and third world nations, if responsibility of safe environment and sustainable energies and development should be given priority. Addressing patterns of consumption: The amount of energy consumed and carbon emissions in any given country varies with the population, industries, and available forms of energy. China and India have very high populations and have been very active to alleviate poverty and inequality in their nations through further industrial development. As such, with the very high consumption of coal energy in China, the more inevitable the carbon emission remains. This demonstrates that even as international and national policies lay strategies to control consumption, it can only be achieved if the locals and individuals act towards it (Parker, Scott, and Rowlands, n.d.). The developed nations do not have the world’s largest population, yet they are the highest consumers of energy resources; developing nations on the other hand, have large population sizes that with rapid developments, the world natural resources would be stripped away quickly in their demand for energy. The UK’s population is relatively small and besides investing in renewable energies and nuclear power, the country has invested in research for carbon and capture storage (CCS) technology, which if successful, would boost energy security by reviving coal energy (Department of Energy & Climate Change, 2013). Although it has not been implemented, it’s a better way to plan for the future. Meanwhile, all countries governments have a role to cut down spending of energy within their economies, whether it involves controlling their population growth, limiting exploitation of natural resources, controlling their industrial use, improving conservation, and limiting production among other ways that not only improve energy security, but reduce carbon emission. Countries can begin by reinventing their transportation, planning, and implementing to manufacture for a green future through use of recycled materials to aid by reducing energy consumption (ASME, 2009). Countries have to be very active to increase efficiency of energy production and end use to foster carbon constrained world. Enforcing Law and regulations: Governments policies and incentives have to be strict, especially in industries of developing nations with respect to how they consume energy. According to Blackmore, “inequity has dogged global negotiations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” among the developed and developing nations (n.d., p. 186). The factor strikes imbalances in enforcing environmental regulations, where the poor have limited financial resources to invest in implementing environmental conservation and programs to prevent GHG emissions, while feeling they have a right to develop via the available means. “China issued six main environmental laws and nine natural resources laws” in addition to the laws established by its state council and ministry of environmental protection (Gallagher, n.d.). This will act to impose control in energy use and carbon release, if they are strictly followed. NGOs have been actively engaged in monitoring compliance and could assist governments to enforce such laws with transparency. Most developing countries have regulations within their local domain, but their effectiveness has been poor, let alone the international laws on environment and natural resources exploitation, due to insufficient management by the controlling organizations. The UK has not only formed an institution (DECC) to manage and combine energy and climate change policy, but has enacted three legislations (Energy Act 2008, Climate change Act 2008, and Energy Act 2010) and conducted campaigns, to lead UK towards its objective of reducing carbon emissions and other GHG, while ensuring secure and affordable energy supply to achieve its long term 2050 goal (carbon-target.co.uk, 2010). Countries governments need to come up with conservation plans (whether short or long term) and enforce them by law, engaging other credible institutions to advice, enforce regulations, and monitor compliance to environmental and energy policies. Conclusion The extent to which energy security and reducing carbon emissions can be compatible plans for countries would depend on how much is invested, and effort directed to forming and enforcing concerned laws and regulations, addressing the increasing energy consumption, and adjusting to low carbon technologies as alternative energies. Although it would tamper with the many industries (agricultural, energy, transport, manufacturing and housing), production and consumption behaviour, the highly related energy consumption, development, and environmental problems can be manageable, without necessarily having to make trade offs. References ASME. 2009. Technology and Policy Recommendation and Goals for reducing carbon dioxide emissions in the Energy Sector. [online] Available at: http://files.asme.org/asmeorg/NewsPublicPolicy/GovRelations/PositionStatements/17971.pdf [Accessed 7 April 2013] Blackmore, R. Climate Change: Causes and Consequences for Development. 179-189 Climate legislation. (2013). [online] Available at: http://www.carbon-target.co.uk/pagecontent.aspx?id=legislation [Accessed 7 April 2013] Department of Energy & Climate Change. Policy: Increasing the use of low carbon technologies. [online] Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/increasing-the-use-of-low-carbon-technologies [Accessed 7 April 2013] Gallagher, K. (n.d). The Challenge for Environment, Development and Sustainability in China. 157-168. Parker, P., Scott, D., and Rowlands, I. H. (n.d). Strategies to Reduce Residential Energy Use and Carbon Emissions: Reversing Canadian Consumption Patterns. [online] Available at: http://www.reepwaterlooregion.ca/documents/working_papers/Strategies%20to%20reduce%20energy%20use%20-%20consumption,%202001-01.pdf [Accessed 7 April 2013] Shah, A., (2011). Energy Security. [online] Available at: http://www.globalissues.org/article/595/energy-security [Accessed 7 April 2013] Read More