APEC ikinai no sekitan wo chushin to suru energy kankyo mondai no genjo oyobi kongo no mitoshi ni kansuru chosa. (Survey on the present situation and future outlook of energy/environment issues mainly on coal in the APEC region).

摘要

For the purpose of studying the energy supply/demand trend and the environmental problem relating mainly to coal in the APEC region, the paper surveyed the situation from the past to the present and outlooked the beginning of the 21st century. GDP in the whole APEC region increased at an annual rate of 3.4% from 1971 to 1991 and made a rapid growth of an annual rate over 7% especially in the non-OECD region. The supply/demand balance of coal, etc. in the non-OECD region is expected to be tight, and the energy price also to be higher. This will be a major factor causing hindrance to the economic growth of resource-importing countries. It is necessary to prepare the energy infrastructure. With the increasing coal utilization, it is feared that pollutants such as SOx, NOx and CO2 will increase, and it is necessary to introduce energy utilization technology/facilities which are high-efficient and environment-friendly and to expedite introduction of non-fossil energy. The APEC region, where the worldwide growth is expected, is a priming for the world development, and a policy which is well balanced in economic growth, stabilized energy supply, and environmental protection is needed for the region to achieve its sustainable growth. 50 figs., 24 tabs.