ENERGY AND POVERTY: THE WORLD NEEDS FAR MORE ELECTRICITY TO POWER DEVELOPMENT, LATEST GLOBAL ENERGY STUDY FINDS

摘要

The latest edition of the World Energy Outlook, published in September 2002 by the International Energy Agency (IEA) of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), depicts a future in which energy use continues to grow inexorably, fossil fuels continue to dominate the energy mix and developing countries fast approach OECD countries as the largest consumers of commercial energy. The Earth's energy resources are undoubtedly adequate to meet rising demand for at least the next three decades. But the projections in this Outlook raise serious concerns about the security of energy supplies, investment in energy infrastructure, the threat of environmental damage caused by energy production and use and the unequal access of the world's population to modern energy. Governments will have to take strenuous action in many areas of energy use and supply if these concerns are to be met. The Outlook's core projections are derived from a Reference Scenario that takes into account only those government polices and measures that had been adopted by mid-2002. A separate Alternative Policy Scenario assesses the impact of a range of new energy and environmental policies that OECD countries are considering adopting as well as of faster deployment of new energy technologies. Both scenarios confirm the extent of the policy challenges facing governments around the world.