Sustainable Societies
Energy
A worldwide consensus has formed within the scientific community that an overreliance on carbon-based energy forms threatens the economic and environmental sustainability of the planet. The U.S. Department of Defense’s Joint Forces Command warns that surplus oil supplies are disappearing which will dramatically alter the availability and price of fossil fuels, resulting in dire economic and security consequences unless alternatives are developed and deployed. The United States Military is responding to the seriousness of this threat by investing billions of dollars into NetZero energy efficient bases, developing bio-fuels for ships and jets, and installing some of the largest solar farms near military communities. The military’s foresight should become a template for action in other sectors of society.
All countries must scale-up deployment of cleaner energy sources and more efficient, locally-based energy technologies to mitigate energy inequity, combat climate change and help create economic opportunities.
Consider these 2011 statistics from the International Energy Agency:
- Worldwide energy demand will increase by 40% between 2010-2035, resulting in further climate destabilization from an estimated 20% increase in CO2 emissions.
- Of the world’s 7 billion people, over 1.3 billion have no access to electricity, and energy consumption rates in developed countries are on average eight times those of developing countries.
- 2.7 billion people, many living in extreme poverty, rely on traditional biomass for cooking. Indoor air pollution from these biomass-cooking stoves will lead to 1.5 million premature deaths per year in 2030, mostly women and children, a death toll greater than estimates for malaria, tuberculosis or HIV/AIDS.
The world’s energy crisis is one of increasing demand, declining supply, and the negative consequences associated with burning traditional carbon-based energy sources. All three aspects of the problem must be addressed simultaneously to mitigate the worst effects of economic disparity, climate change, and political instability.
Although currently deployed renewable resources account for only a fraction of the world’s energy supply, opportunities for future market share are significant as demonstrated by commitments from advanced countries like Germany and Japan. Breakthroughs in bio-fuels, solar, wind, geothermal, smart-grid and energy efficiency must be coupled with information technology in order to allow all countries the opportunity to scale up their potential resources and unleash a new industrial revolution based on the synergistic qualities of these technologies.