Human energy use plays a large part into creating CO2 greenhouse gas emissions. Since so much of the industrialized and modern world is so reliant on coal for energy a large amount of CO2 is created from the burning of that coal. In 2012, coal made up 29% of the total world energy supplies and also contributed 44% of the global CO2. So there is a direct link between human consumption and the increase in greenhouse gases. This is not even taking into account methane or other natural gases that contribute heavily to greenhouse gases. Since so much of the world relies on these fossil fuels to function it has created a geopolitical power struggle between nations. Whomever has the most oil can barter whatever they wish adding a layer of complexity to solving the human component of human consumption into climate change.
Although most of the world is reliant on fossil fuels for energy there is still hope for ways to reverse the consumption of these fuels or reverse the effects of them. For example Germany has now shifted a large part of its energy production to renewable resources such as wind and solar. Although these solutions do not provide enough to account for all of Germany’s energy needs this is indeed a step in the right direction. A large issue would be getting the larger producers of greenhouse gases onboard such as China. Since they have such a strong economy and can pay for all the fossil fuels they wish currently it would be a hard sell to get China to invest heavily into alternative energy solutions.
Grant “Ginger” McHaney
Reference
Williams, D. (2014, January 22). We must not demonise coal – German Environment Minister (Links to an external site.). Power Engineering International. Retrieved from http://www.powerengineeringint.com/articles/2014/01/we-must-not-demonise-coal-german-environment-minister.html