9. Consuming Energy Resources: Energy Futures

Question 1

What are the 2 main Energy Futures?

Answer 1

Business as Usual - carries on as normal - most from fossil fuels - don’t increase use of renewable energy sources

Move to Sustainability - reduce fossil fuel usage - increase renewable energy sources

Question 2

What is the Consumer group attitude towards energy future?

Answer 2

• Want secure supplies - not interrupted in future
• Fossil Fuels run out - energy security decrease - increase risk of shortages
• Want cheap power - sustainable energy requires investment - increases price
• Favour BAU as cheap supply of energy - as Fossil Fuels run out - consumers favour move to sustainability
• War in Ukraine increasing fossil fuel cost therefore accelerating the move to sustainable / renewable sources

Question 3

What is the TNCs group attitude towards energy future?

Answer 3

• e.g. Shell - lots of investment in extracting and refining fossil fuels - invest in energy sector
• Controlling oil reserves - power and wealth - may lose money if move to renewable
• Sustainable need more investment vs FF - higher costs - favour BAU scenario
• TNCs not involved in FF industry also favour BAU - sustainable more expensive and increased their energy costs

Question 4

What is the Governments group attitude towards energy future?

Answer 4

• Need to secure future energy supplies
• FF cheap and reliable for short term - more sustainable required for longer term
• Developed countries - consumer pressure to protect environment - use more sustainable energy
• FF have helped countries develop and emerging country governments have concerns re: if sustainable energy sources will help them to continue to develop

Question 5

What is the Climate Scientists group attitude towards energy future?

Answer 5

• Study how human activity impacts climate
• Climate change scenarios - inc of 4% by 2100 under BAU scenario
• Want to reduce reliance on FF to reduce consequences and temperature increase and rising sea levels

Question 6

What is the Environmental group attitude towards energy future?

Answer 6

• Greenpeace - stop reliance on FF - damages environment
• Reduce FF and switch to renewable sources in line with move to sustainability scenario

Question 7

How are attitudes to Energy Futures changing in developed countries?

Answer 7

Rising Affluence - people with more money - choice about energy use - more efficient cars, solar panels etc. Government investment in renewable energy for transport etc

Education - better access via school and media - better understanding of consequences of unsustainable energy use and increasing emissions - People learn on how to reduce carbon footprint and use of clean energy sources - reduced energy consumption

Environmental concerns - Education - worry about damaging environment - reduce carbon footprint. Invest in research on impact of different sources and how to reduce carbon footprint. Developing countries - economic development can over shadow environmental concern as country develops - environment becomes higher priority

Question 8

What is Carbon Footprint?

Answer 8

Carbon Footprint - amount of greenhouse gasses generated by activities of individual or organisation or product over lifetime

Question 9

What is Ecological Footprint?

Answer 9

How much land is needed to support an individual’s lifestyle

Used on larger scale to calculate impact of cities, countries or the world population

Question 10

How are Carbon and Ecological Footprints calculated?

Answer 10

Food - how much meat eaten - meat production produces greenhouse gasses e.g. methane and takes up lots of land. Wastage and if use locally produced food

Home - size of house - how many people - type of energy to heat home - has energy saving features?

Travel - Air travel, commuting and what type of transport used

Lifestyle - How much spend on clothes, electrical devices and how much recycling you do