ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
Detail non-renewable sources of energy - (ANSWER)-fossil fuels and nuclear fuel
-they're finite and could eventually become completely exhausted
-they dominate global energy
Detail renewable energy - (ANSWER)-can be used over and over again
-they're mainly forces of nature that are sustainable and usually cause little or no environmental
pollution
-renewable energy includes hydro-electric, biomass, wind, solar, geothermal, tidal and wave
power
Detail general energy sources - (ANSWER)-at the core of the global economy
-energy is vital for economic growth and development
-however, emissions of greenhouse gases from energy use are the main contributors to human-
induced climate change
-energy production and consumption are major issues within and between countries
-many countries have to import a significant amount of the energy they use, which has made
them more concerned about energy security
-there are growing concerns in some parts of the world that the inequitable and uneven
distributions of energy sources may lead to conflict
-energy shortages are also another issue
Energy shortages details - (ANSWER)-they have occurred in different parts of the world on a
number of occasions in the past
-such shortages can have major economic and social consequences, but it is not just potential
shortages of energy that is the concern; in poor countries, energy poverty has a major impact on
people's lives and it is a major obstacle of development
-the concept of fuel poverty is becoming a more and more important issue in many apparently
affluent countries
,What is the environmental challenge in relation to energy sources? - (ANSWER)The
environmental challenge is to transform the global energy mix to achieve a better balance
between renewable and non-renewable energy used.
What are the key energy issues for individual countries? - (ANSWER)The key energy issues for
individual countries are the three Ss: Sustainability, security and strategy
At a national scale, detail the huge variations in energy demand and supply -
(ANSWER)Demand is primarily governor Ed by the size of the country's population and its level
of economic development. The gap between the worlds richest and poorest countries in terms of
demand is huge. Growth in energy demands is particularly rapid in middle-income countries
(MICS) such as China and India. The demand of a country can also vary significantly due to its
energy policy, esp if it is focused on sustainability and efficiency as opposed to concentrating
solely on building more power stations and refining facilities. High levels of pollution can be a
strong stimulus for a country to develop a cleaner energy policy
State the physical reasons for global variations in energy supply - (ANSWER)-deposits of fossil
fuels are only found in a limited number of locations
-large-scale HEP development requires high precipitation, major steep-sided valleys and
impermeable rock
-large power stations require flat land and geologically stable foundations
-solar power needs high average wind speeds throughout the year
-tidal power stations require a very large tidal range
-the availability of biomass varies widely according to climatic conditions
State the economic reasons for global variations in energy supply - (ANSWER)-the most
accessible, and lowest-cost, deposits of fossil fuels are invariably developed first
-onshore deposits of oil and gas are usually cheaper to develop then offshore deposits
-potential HEP sites close to major transport routes and existing electricity transmission corridors
are more economical to build than those in very inaccessible locations
-in poor countries, FDI is often essential for the development of energy resources
-when energy prices rise significantly, companies increase spending on exploration and
development
,State the political reasons for global variations in energy supply - (ANSWER)-countries wanting
to develop nuclear electricity require permission from the international Atomic Energy Agency
-international agreements like Kyoto Protocol can have a considerable influence on the energy
decisions of individual countries
-potential HEP schemes on 'international ricers' may require the agreement of other countries that
share the river
-governments may insist on energy companies producing a certain proportion of their energy
from renewable sources
-legislations regarding emissions from power stations will favour the use of, for example, low-
sulphur coal, as opposed to coal with a high sulphur content
What is the key factor in supply of energy sources? - (ANSWER)Energy resource endowment.
Some countries are relatively rich in domestic energy resources, while others are lacking in such
resources and heavily reliant on imports. However, resources by themselves do not constitute
supply. Capital and technology are required to exploit resources.
Why has the use of energy in all countries changed over time? - (ANSWER)-technological
development: for example,: a) nuclear electricity has been available since 1954 b) oil and gas can
now be extracted from much deeper waters than in the past and c) renewable energy technology
is advancing steadily
-increasing national wealth: as average income increase living standards improve, which
involved the increasing use of energy and the use of greater variety of energy sources
-changes in demand: at one time, all of Britain's trains were powered by coal and most people
also used coal for heating in their homes. Before natural gas was discovered in the North Sea,
Britain's gas was produced from coal
- changes in price: the relative prices of the different types of energy can influence demand.
Electricity production in the UK has been switching from coal to gas over the last 20 years,
mainly due to power stations being cheaper to run on natural gas
-environmental factors/ public opinion: public opinion can influence decisions made by the
government. People today are much better informed about the environmental impact of energy
sources than they were in the past
What are fossil fuels individual and relative contributions to the global energy situation? (BP
statistical review of world energy) - (ANSWER)-oil: 33%
, -coal: 30%
-natural gas: 24%
In contrast, HEP accounted for 6.6% and nuclear energy 4.5%. The source used includes
commercially traded fuels only and excludes fuels like wood, peat, and animal waste, which
(though important in many countries) are unreliable documented in terms of production and
consumption statistics,
How does the consumption of different types of fuel vary globally? - (ANSWER)-oil: only in
Asia Pacific is the contribution of oil less than 30%, and it is the main source of energy in the
four of the six regions (North America, South & Central America, Europe & Eurasia, Middle
East, Africa, Asia Pacific). In contrast, it accounts for less than 5% of consumption in South and
Central America and in the Middle East. The Middle East was responsible for 50% of its global
consumption
-coal: only in the Asia Pacific region is coal the main source of energy, it accounts for less than
5% of consumption in South and Central America and in the Middle East. China accounts for
50.2% of global coal consumption in 2012
-natural gas: main source of energy in Europe and Eurasia and its is a close second to oil in the
Middle East. It's lowest share of the energy mix is 11% in the Asia Pacific
-hydro-electricity: relative importance of thsi is greatest in south and Central America (25%). It's
contributions elsewhere vary from 6% in Africa to lass than 1% in the middle east
-nuclear energy: not presently available in the Middle East and it makes the smallest contribution
of the five traditional energy sources in Asia pacific, Africa and south and Central America. It is
most important in Europe, Eurasia and North America
-renewables: consumption of renewable energy other than HEP is rising rapidly, but from a very
low base. They make the largest relative contribution to energy consumption in Europe and
Eurasia.
What are the general points that can be made in terms of usage by type of energy? -
(ANSWER)The most developed countries tend to use a wide mix of energy sources, being able
both to invest in domestic energy potential and to buy energy from abroad.
-the high investment required for nuclear electricity means that only a limited number of
countries produce electricity this way. However many countries that could afford the investment
choose not to adopt this strategy
-richer nations have been able to invest more money in renewable energy sources
Detail non-renewable sources of energy - (ANSWER)-fossil fuels and nuclear fuel
-they're finite and could eventually become completely exhausted
-they dominate global energy
Detail renewable energy - (ANSWER)-can be used over and over again
-they're mainly forces of nature that are sustainable and usually cause little or no environmental
pollution
-renewable energy includes hydro-electric, biomass, wind, solar, geothermal, tidal and wave
power
Detail general energy sources - (ANSWER)-at the core of the global economy
-energy is vital for economic growth and development
-however, emissions of greenhouse gases from energy use are the main contributors to human-
induced climate change
-energy production and consumption are major issues within and between countries
-many countries have to import a significant amount of the energy they use, which has made
them more concerned about energy security
-there are growing concerns in some parts of the world that the inequitable and uneven
distributions of energy sources may lead to conflict
-energy shortages are also another issue
Energy shortages details - (ANSWER)-they have occurred in different parts of the world on a
number of occasions in the past
-such shortages can have major economic and social consequences, but it is not just potential
shortages of energy that is the concern; in poor countries, energy poverty has a major impact on
people's lives and it is a major obstacle of development
-the concept of fuel poverty is becoming a more and more important issue in many apparently
affluent countries
,What is the environmental challenge in relation to energy sources? - (ANSWER)The
environmental challenge is to transform the global energy mix to achieve a better balance
between renewable and non-renewable energy used.
What are the key energy issues for individual countries? - (ANSWER)The key energy issues for
individual countries are the three Ss: Sustainability, security and strategy
At a national scale, detail the huge variations in energy demand and supply -
(ANSWER)Demand is primarily governor Ed by the size of the country's population and its level
of economic development. The gap between the worlds richest and poorest countries in terms of
demand is huge. Growth in energy demands is particularly rapid in middle-income countries
(MICS) such as China and India. The demand of a country can also vary significantly due to its
energy policy, esp if it is focused on sustainability and efficiency as opposed to concentrating
solely on building more power stations and refining facilities. High levels of pollution can be a
strong stimulus for a country to develop a cleaner energy policy
State the physical reasons for global variations in energy supply - (ANSWER)-deposits of fossil
fuels are only found in a limited number of locations
-large-scale HEP development requires high precipitation, major steep-sided valleys and
impermeable rock
-large power stations require flat land and geologically stable foundations
-solar power needs high average wind speeds throughout the year
-tidal power stations require a very large tidal range
-the availability of biomass varies widely according to climatic conditions
State the economic reasons for global variations in energy supply - (ANSWER)-the most
accessible, and lowest-cost, deposits of fossil fuels are invariably developed first
-onshore deposits of oil and gas are usually cheaper to develop then offshore deposits
-potential HEP sites close to major transport routes and existing electricity transmission corridors
are more economical to build than those in very inaccessible locations
-in poor countries, FDI is often essential for the development of energy resources
-when energy prices rise significantly, companies increase spending on exploration and
development
,State the political reasons for global variations in energy supply - (ANSWER)-countries wanting
to develop nuclear electricity require permission from the international Atomic Energy Agency
-international agreements like Kyoto Protocol can have a considerable influence on the energy
decisions of individual countries
-potential HEP schemes on 'international ricers' may require the agreement of other countries that
share the river
-governments may insist on energy companies producing a certain proportion of their energy
from renewable sources
-legislations regarding emissions from power stations will favour the use of, for example, low-
sulphur coal, as opposed to coal with a high sulphur content
What is the key factor in supply of energy sources? - (ANSWER)Energy resource endowment.
Some countries are relatively rich in domestic energy resources, while others are lacking in such
resources and heavily reliant on imports. However, resources by themselves do not constitute
supply. Capital and technology are required to exploit resources.
Why has the use of energy in all countries changed over time? - (ANSWER)-technological
development: for example,: a) nuclear electricity has been available since 1954 b) oil and gas can
now be extracted from much deeper waters than in the past and c) renewable energy technology
is advancing steadily
-increasing national wealth: as average income increase living standards improve, which
involved the increasing use of energy and the use of greater variety of energy sources
-changes in demand: at one time, all of Britain's trains were powered by coal and most people
also used coal for heating in their homes. Before natural gas was discovered in the North Sea,
Britain's gas was produced from coal
- changes in price: the relative prices of the different types of energy can influence demand.
Electricity production in the UK has been switching from coal to gas over the last 20 years,
mainly due to power stations being cheaper to run on natural gas
-environmental factors/ public opinion: public opinion can influence decisions made by the
government. People today are much better informed about the environmental impact of energy
sources than they were in the past
What are fossil fuels individual and relative contributions to the global energy situation? (BP
statistical review of world energy) - (ANSWER)-oil: 33%
, -coal: 30%
-natural gas: 24%
In contrast, HEP accounted for 6.6% and nuclear energy 4.5%. The source used includes
commercially traded fuels only and excludes fuels like wood, peat, and animal waste, which
(though important in many countries) are unreliable documented in terms of production and
consumption statistics,
How does the consumption of different types of fuel vary globally? - (ANSWER)-oil: only in
Asia Pacific is the contribution of oil less than 30%, and it is the main source of energy in the
four of the six regions (North America, South & Central America, Europe & Eurasia, Middle
East, Africa, Asia Pacific). In contrast, it accounts for less than 5% of consumption in South and
Central America and in the Middle East. The Middle East was responsible for 50% of its global
consumption
-coal: only in the Asia Pacific region is coal the main source of energy, it accounts for less than
5% of consumption in South and Central America and in the Middle East. China accounts for
50.2% of global coal consumption in 2012
-natural gas: main source of energy in Europe and Eurasia and its is a close second to oil in the
Middle East. It's lowest share of the energy mix is 11% in the Asia Pacific
-hydro-electricity: relative importance of thsi is greatest in south and Central America (25%). It's
contributions elsewhere vary from 6% in Africa to lass than 1% in the middle east
-nuclear energy: not presently available in the Middle East and it makes the smallest contribution
of the five traditional energy sources in Asia pacific, Africa and south and Central America. It is
most important in Europe, Eurasia and North America
-renewables: consumption of renewable energy other than HEP is rising rapidly, but from a very
low base. They make the largest relative contribution to energy consumption in Europe and
Eurasia.
What are the general points that can be made in terms of usage by type of energy? -
(ANSWER)The most developed countries tend to use a wide mix of energy sources, being able
both to invest in domestic energy potential and to buy energy from abroad.
-the high investment required for nuclear electricity means that only a limited number of
countries produce electricity this way. However many countries that could afford the investment
choose not to adopt this strategy
-richer nations have been able to invest more money in renewable energy sources
