Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
• The use of coal is expected to grow globally for the contribution of non-OECD
countries, with particular reference to China, which in 2012 is the biggest con-
sumer, producer, and exporter at global level. Coal demand should be reduced
by 25 % in the OECD countries by 2040 as a result of environmental laws, even
if the introduction in the market of the American coal of good quality and low
price has increased its use in Europe, especially in Germany, to replace the defi-
cit production due to the closing of nuclear power plants.
• The unconventional techniques for the extraction of oil and gas, according to
the WEO-2014's forecasts, will not expand outside North America, although
promising sites exist in many areas of the world. The report reckons that outside
North America, it will be difficult to overcome the opposition of people. The
opposition of the population is based on environmental impacts and legislative
differences: in North America, the ownership of the subsoil belongs to whoever
owns the land which has an interest to exploit it, while in the rest of the world,
the subsoil belongs to the state that might expropriates the land, raising the oppo-
sition of the population that is considered damaged by the exploitation of mineral
deposits.
• The growth of RES will be approximately three times higher than that occurred
in the period 1990-2012, and in 2040, they could provide about 23 % of the
electricity consumed in the world against the current 3.3 % (mainly comes from
hydroelectric). Regarding the growth forecasts of RES, hydroelectric and wind
power are the sources that will grow most even if hydropower will not grow in
Europe, Japan, and the USA because the best sites are already exploited. The
wind sector will have a strong increase since its cost is now becoming more and
more competitive with coal and nuclear power. It will also increase solar energy
thanks to many subsidies that governments deliver. For the other RES, the report
predicts a considerable development of biomass and biofuels.
• Nuclear power is also growing for power plants planned in China, India, Korea,
and Russia.
• The world projected energy consumption will require investments in energy sup-
ply for around US$ 40 trillion from 2014 to 2035 (IEA 2014b ).
The six largest emitting countries in 2012 are China (29 % in global CO 2 ), the USA
(15 %), the EU (11 %), India (5 %), the Russian Federation (5 %), and Japan (4 %).
Total CO 2 emissions from all OECD countries account for one third of global emis-
sions that is the same share as that of China and India. A comparison between na-
tional GDP and CO 2 emissions shows there is a strong relation between them, as
highlighted in the literature through the Kaya identity which expresses CO 2 emis-
sions from fossil fuel combustion in terms of output levels, energy intensity, and
carbon intensity of the output (Raupach et al. 2007 ). Indeed, the CO 2 emission trend
mainly reflects energy-related human activities which are determined by economic
growth, particularly in developing countries. Only recently, and mainly in develop-
ing countries, a decoupling of the increase in CO 2 emissions from economic growth
is taking place thanks to the increased energy efficiency and the implementation of
RES (see Table 1.3 ).
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