Robust economic growth is generally seen as a positive—unless one is considering its effects on energy demand and, by extension, environmental impact. Further complicating matters, when the fastest growing economies also happen to be the largest consumers of fossil fuels, such as in India and China, it heightens concerns about global warming.
The growing threat of climate change, particularly as it relates to energy consumption and efficiency, is the focus of the 2019 edition of the World Energy Markets Observatory (WEMO), Our annual thought leadership and research report that tracks the development and transformation of electricity and gas markets around the world. Now in its 21st edition, our research indicates that addressing climate change will certainly be challenging, but that it is possible for the industry to mitigate some of the negative effects through increased use of renewable energy sources, transition efforts and technology. Here we review the report’s five key findings
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Climate change is an increasing global concern
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Advances in non-carbon emitting generation and storage will increase the viability of renewables
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The worldwide energy mix remains dominated by coal, hampering broader energy transition efforts
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Continuous advancement in existing technology will drive incremental gains over the next two decades
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Geopolitical tensions are increasing energy market volatility