2007 G8 Summit Magazine - (Page 61) The Two Es: Energy & Environment O NE CANNOT DISCUSS ENERGY these days without coupling it to the environment. This coupling has become even more intense recently because of the increasing and urgent concerns over global climate change. Recent warnings in the Stern report, from Al Gore, from the Schwartz report, the World Economic Forum in Davos, the recent report from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and from Ban Ki Moon, the new U.N. Secretary General have brought the issue of climate change even more to the political forefront and to the attention of governments, industry, and the public. Many industries, particularly the energy industry, have accepted the importance of this issue and are taking positive steps to address it. Industry is waking up to the realization that being green can be profitable. Entrepreneurs will invest in technology emanating from human ingenuity and new industries will arise that could change our current notions of energy. Thus, the 2 Es will also be coupled again with the third E, the economy. European politicians have already formulated regulations to reduce green house emissions. Chancellor Merkel has stressed the “disastrous cost to our children and grandchildren if we fail to act” to stem the inexorable rise in carbon dioxide emissions worldwide. American policy makers are beginning to formulate potential ideas and regulations that would apply financial incentives to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide. But the world needs ever growing quantities of energy driven by population growth and the desire for improved living standards. Industrial economies cannot continue to support the lifestyles of their populations and continue to increase economic growth without adequate and secure supplies of affordable energy. The developing world, where over 2 billion still have little or no access to energy, needs energy to raise their populations from poverty into an acceptable standard of living. -61- |
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.