Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
An Energy Summary
u
.
The Size of the Problem
Part II has covered the energy scene. Part III is on policy,
both for the United States and internationally. However,
policy has to be based on reality, so I want to summarize
the important technical and
fiscal points. I have tried in
Part II to present all the facts without prejudice, but here
I will let my own opinions shine through and end this
chapter with a repeat of the energy scorecard shown
earlier.
It is appropriate to begin by repeating something
I wrote in the Introduction to this second edition:
There
is also a need to take a view broader than just climate
change when thinking about, and planning, an energy
future that takes into account the aspirations of the
developing world and the national security interests of
all. Just telling a poor nation that they have to do some-
thing about climate change is not enough to get action if
that action will keep them poor for a longer time.
In the section on fossil fuels I showed that we cannot
handle the economic aspirations of a world of
billion
people in the year
without a crippling rise in the
price of coal and oil. A change in world primary-energy
sources is necessary on grounds separate from climate
change, and we need to get on with it because the sooner
we start the lower the eventual cost will be. Business as
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