Energy is sustainable if it "meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." Definitions of sustainable energy usually look at its effects on the environment,the economy and society. These impacts range from greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution to energy poverty and toxic waste. Renewable energy sources such as wind,hydro,solar,and geothermal energy can cause environmental damage,but are generally far more sustainable than fossil fuel sources.
Climate change mitigation (or decarbonisation) is action to limit the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere that cause climate change. Climate change mitigation actions include conserving energy and replacing fossil fuels with clean energy sources. Secondary mitigation strategies include changes to land use and removing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere. Current climate change mitigation policies are insufficient as they would still result in global warming of about 2.7 °C by 2100,significantly above the 2015 Paris Agreement's goal of limiting global warming to below 2 °C.
A carbon footprint (or greenhouse gas footprint) is a calculated value or index that makes it possible to compare the total amount of greenhouse gases that an activity,product,company or country adds to the atmosphere. Carbon footprints are usually reported in tonnes of emissions (CO2-equivalent) per unit of comparison. Such units can be for example tonnes CO2-eq per year,per kilogram of protein for consumption,per kilometer travelled,per piece of clothing and so forth. A product's carbon footprint includes the emissions for the entire life cycle. These run from the production along the supply chain to its final consumption and disposal.
The energy policy of the United States is determined by federal,state,and local entities. It addresses issues of energy production,distribution,consumption,and modes of use,such as building codes,mileage standards,and commuting policies. Energy policy may be addressed via legislation,regulation,court decisions,public participation,and other techniques.
A low-carbon economy (LCE) is an economy which absorbs as much greenhouse gas as it emits. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions due to human activity are the dominant cause of observed climate change since the mid-20th century. There are many proven approaches for moving to a low-carbon economy,such as encouraging renewable energy transition,energy conservation,electrification of transportation,and carbon capture and storage. An example are zero-carbon cities.
Carbon pricing is a method for governments to mitigate climate change,in which a monetary cost is applied to greenhouse gas emissions in order to encourage polluters to reduce fossil fuel combustion,the main driver of climate change. A carbon price usually takes the form of a carbon tax,or an emissions trading scheme (ETS) that requires firms to purchase allowances to emit. The method is widely agreed to be an efficient policy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Carbon pricing seeks to address the economic problem that emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases are a negative externality –a detrimental product that is not charged for by any market.
Fossil fuel phase-out is the gradual reduction of the use and production of fossil fuels to zero,to reduce deaths and illness from air pollution,limit climate change,and strengthen energy independence. It is part of the ongoing renewable energy transition,but is being hindered by fossil fuel subsidies.
Mark Kenneth Jaccard is a Canadian energy economist and author. He develops and applies models that assess sustainability policies for energy and material. Jaccard is a professor of sustainable energy in the School of Resource and Environmental Management (REM) at Simon Fraser University.
Climate change is an urgent and significant issue affecting Japan. In recent years,the country has observed notable changes in its climate patterns,with rising temperatures serving as a prominent indicator of this phenomenon. As an archipelago situated in northeastern Asia,Japan is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change due to its diverse geography and exposure to various weather systems. The nation experiences a broad range of climates,spanning from the frigid winters of Hokkaido to the subtropical climates of Okinawa. Changes in temperature patterns have the potential to disrupt ecosystems,impact agricultural productivity,modify water resources,and pose significant challenges to infrastructure and human settlements.
Climate change is having major effects on the Chinese economy,society and the environment. China is the largest emitter of carbon dioxide,through an energy infrastructure heavily focused on coal. Other industries,such as a burgeoning construction industry and industrial manufacturing,contribute heavily to carbon emissions. However,like other developing countries,on a per-capita basis,China's carbon emissions are considerably less than countries like the United States. It has also been noted that higher-income countries have outsourced emissions-intensive industries to China. China is now the world's largest polluter and in 2023 recorded its hottest year on record with an average temperature of 10.7 C. On the basis of cumulative CO2 emissions measured from 1751 through to 2017,China is responsible for 13% globally and about half of the United States' cumulative emissions.
Climate change in Massachusetts affects both urban and rural environments,including forestry,fisheries,agriculture,and coastal development. The Northeast is projected to warm faster than global average temperatures;by 2035,the Northeast is "projected to be more than 3.6°F (2°C) warmer on average than during the preindustrial era."
David J. Hayes is an American attorney and legal scholar who serves in the Biden Administration as Special Assistant to the President for Climate Policy. Hayes has led White House work on clean energy deployment issues,climate resilience and greenhouse gas emission reduction and carbon sequestration initiatives. Hayes also has assisted in developing and implementing the climate-related provisions included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act.
The milestones for carbon capture and storage show the lack of commercial scale development and implementation of CCS over the years since the first carbon tax was imposed.
Individual action on climate change can include personal choices with regards to diet,travel,lifestyle,consumption of goods and services,family size and so on. Individuals can also get active in local and political advocacy work around climate action. People who wish to reduce their carbon footprint,can for example reduce air travel and driving cars,they can eat mainly a plant-based diet,use consumer products for longer,or have fewer children. Avoiding meat and dairy foods has been called "the single biggest way" how an individual can reduce their environmental impact. Scholars find that excessive consumption is more to blame for climate change than population increase. High consumption lifestyles have a greater environmental impact,with the richest 10% of people emitting about half the total lifestyle emissions.
Between 2009 and 2014,gas consumption,production,and imports in China have grown dramatically,with two-digit growth. According to CNPC,the installed capacity of gas-fired power plants in the country is expected to reach around 138 million-154 million kilowatts in 2025,and further grow to 261 million-308 million kilowatts by 2030.
Sir James Ferguson "Jim" Skea CBE FRSE is a British academic. He is currently Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) for its seventh assessment cycle,and a Professor of Sustainable Energy at Imperial College London. Before being elected as Chair,Skea was Co-Chair of Working Group III of the IPCC. He was a founding member of the UK Government's Committee on Climate Change and currently chairs Scotland's Just Transition Commission. He was a co-author of the IPCC 2018 Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 °C. In July 2023,Skea was elected as Chair of the IPCC.
Pete Smith is Professor of Soils and Global change at the University of Aberdeen where he directs the Scottish Climate Change Centre of Expertise,ClimateXChange.
Coal,cars and lorries vent more than a third of Turkey's six hundred million tonnes of annual greenhouse gas emissions,which are mostly carbon dioxide and part of the cause of climate change in Turkey. The nation's coal-fired power stations emit the most carbon dioxide,and other significant sources are road vehicles running on petrol or diesel. After coal and oil the third most polluting fuel is fossil gas;which is burnt in Turkey's gas-fired power stations,homes and workplaces. Much methane is belched by livestock;cows alone produce half of the greenhouse gas from agriculture in Turkey.
China's greenhouse gas emissions are the largest of any country in the world both in production and consumption terms,and stem mainly from coal burning,including coal power,coal mining,and blast furnaces producing iron and steel. When measuring production-based emissions,China emitted over 14 gigatonnes (Gt) CO2eq of greenhouse gases in 2019,27% of the world total. When measuring in consumption-based terms,which adds emissions associated with imported goods and extracts those associated with exported goods,China accounts for 13 gigatonnes (Gt) or 25% of global emissions. According to the Carbon Majors Database,Chinese state coal production alone accounts for 14% of historic global emissions.
The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) is a carbon tariff on carbon intensive products,such as steel,cement and some electricity,imported to the European Union. Legislated as part of the European Green Deal,it takes effect in 2026,with reporting starting in 2023. CBAM was passed by the European Parliament with 450 votes for,115 against,and 55 abstentions and the Council of the EU with 24 countries in favour. It entered into force on 17 May 2023.
