The World Isn't Keeping Up With The Need To
Invest In Sustainable Energy
Energy will remain a top story over the
coming years with global demand predicted to rise 56% over the next 30 years.
Rising prosperity in China and India will be a major contributory factor to
increased requirement for clean-fuel technology like renewable energy and
nuclear power, to grow faster than fossil fuels.
China and India account for half the
world's total increase in energy use through 2040.
The Briefing: Energy/Alternative Energy
When it comes to investing in a future of
clean and sustainable energy, the world is rapidly falling behind.
Global investment in renewable energy,
energy efficiency, and adaptation actually dropped $5 billion — from $364
billion in 2011 to $359 billion in 2012.
The International Energy Agency estimated
last year that a grand total of $5 trillion will be needed by 2020 to keep the
world under the two degrees of warming Celsius scientists have pegged as the
threshold beyond which climate change becomes dangerously destructive. That
works out to roughly $625 billion per year. According to estimates by the U.N.,
another $48 billion will be needed on top of that every year until 2030 to
bring global energy access. That would move the world towards a sustainable
energy economy while reducing global energy poverty at the same time.