Introduction

 

Among the United Nation’s 17 key goals for sustainable development, one of its most extensive and overarching goals, is number 13: Climate Action. Its objective is to “take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.” The following document uses figures and tables to demonstrate some context, progress, and pathways for combating climate change. Its focus is on the current energy picture as well as the potential for transition to Renewable energy sources.

 

The Current Landscape

 

 

 

Figure 1 demonstrates the exponential rise in annual CO2 emissions dating back to 1750. Note that the plot has a logarithmic scale on its y-axis. Despite countries such as Germany and the U.S. slightly tapering their CO2 emissions in the 21st century, the overall data is extremely worrisome. According to the USDA, the largest use of energy from CO2 emitting fossil fuels in the US is:

 

 

 

Figure 2 demonstrates the various levels of population growth in five countries in addition to the total world. The rapid growth of world population indicates a growing need for resoures and energy (and a more responsible use of them) in order to sustain everyone.

 

 

 

Figure 3 demonstrates the gradual decline in use of non-renewable energy use in the U.S., Germany, and Brazil. Noteably, India and China which greatly increased their fossil fuel energy production in order to support their extensive populations and urbanization. Conversely, most countries have gradualy increased their use of renewable energy, with China once again heavily investing in this energy category.

 

 

Hover over points to see more details

 

Figure 4 demonstrates how plummeting lifetime costs of Onshore wind and Solar photovoltaic energy have now dipped below fossil fuel costs in a large selection of countries. This could pave the way for economically advantageous green energy transitions.

 

 

Breakdown of change in prices of more renewable sources

source year Cost $/KwH
Bioenergy 2010 0.0781893
Bioenergy 2020 0.0724731
Concentrated solar power 2010 0.3580038
Concentrated solar power 2020 0.1066530
Geothermal 2010 0.0504453
Geothermal 2020 0.0542640
Hydropower 2010 0.0388827
Hydropower 2020 0.0459659
Offshore wind 2010 0.1878568
Offshore wind 2020 0.0862658
Onshore wind 2010 0.1162984
Onshore wind 2020 0.0448345
Solar photovoltaic 2010 0.3841601
Solar photovoltaic 2020 0.0641493

 

 

Takeaways

As we have seen so far, our world has rapidly growing CO2 emissions in order to support a rapidly expanding population. Our unwavering reliance on fossil fuels has driven climate change to a threatening extent, which as noted by the UN’s sustainable development goals, must be checked. Luckily, advances in renewable energy technology have been able to significantly lower their lifetime energy cost. In particular wind and solar could prove vital as economically feasible green energy sources. However, as we have seen, most countries are moving too slow with this transition. In order to respond to climate change, with the agency and severity that the issue deserves, countries must take policy measures to quicken their energy transition and align with the UN’s stance, as mentioned in the Introduction.

 

 

Data Sources

  1. Global Carbon Project is an organization that attempts to measure green house gas emissions and deduce global budgets for key gasses, with the objective of better understanding climate change in order to combat it. Go here to learn more

  2. IRENA (short for International Renewable Energy Agency), is an organization that monitors renewable energy data from prices to policy in order to keep governments and the public up to date and making well informed energy decisions. Go here to learn more

  3. Our World in Data is an organization that uses a worldwide network of researchers who publish stories with the goal of making their insights on some of the biggest global issues, more easily digestible. Go here to learn more