It is unrealistic to expect individual nations to make, independently, the sacrifices necessary to conserve energy.International leadership and worldwide cooperation are essential if we expect to protect the world’s energy resources for future generations.
Well..... Did somebody say that charity begins at home? If yes, then I believe conserving energy begins at an individual level first to then go global!! And why not until you practise you cannot preach. But at the same time, conserving can begin with one but alone isn't capable of making the big difference. We will require co-operation, support & sacrifices across the globe to take effect.
A country grows in history not only because of the heroism of its troops on the field of battle, it grows also when it turns to justice and to right for the conservation of its interests. Coming to some global statistical data, In 2008, total worldwide energy consumption was 474 exajoules (5×1020 J) with 80 to 90 percent derived from the combustion of fossil fuels. This is equivalent to an average power consumption rate of 15 terawatts (1.504×1013 W). Not all of the world's economies track their energy consumption with the same rigor, and the exact energy content of a barrel of oil or a ton of coal will vary with quality.
Energy consumption is loosely correlated with gross national product but there is a large difference even between the most highly developed countries, such as Japan and Germany with 6 kW per person and United States with 11.4 kW per person. In developing countries such as India the per person energy use is closer to 0.7 kW. Bangladesh has the lowest consumption with 0.2 kW per person. The Above stats are just by the Primary energy consumption by Countries, they can be classified by sector, sustainability, per capita, etc. Yet cause remains the same - conservation; small or big, hold equal significance.
One such example is the well known and buzzed topic of Global Warming at Copenhagen. Though this climate change could not reach a common consensus, It clearly demonstrated the unity across globe to come together for a common cause; the "Climate Change", and the pose taken by the developed nations to be - flexible. But only if this wasn't a collective effort to make a significant difference, the issue would have lived like an open sore wound oozing of blood and remained unattended, therefore unrealistic and impractical of only one nation to individually blow the trumpet.
This is the need of the hour for the generations ahead, then just quote like that one favourite advertisement of mine --
Son to his dad standing at a Traffic Signal in his expensive car- "Dad! When I grow up, I will open a cycle repair shop"
To this the bewildered day replies --" Why the hell on earth would you have to do that?"
The Son politely and innocently seeing the pumping engines blowing horns, excessive fuel consumption replied --" The rate at which your generation is consuming and waste petrol, my generation would have to go back to bicycles and carts!"
Save the earth!! Save Energy !!
Sherry Sethi.
A real hot topic in the air around this time. . .
ReplyDeleteWell, I have nothing to add up more here after you, but still would like to mention a few rolling over thoughts in my head. . .
1. Developing Nations making such a hue and cry about the fact that they will have to restrict the emissions, is not all that justified. We are in the third world but it doesn't mean that we have all the rights to do whatever we want to. We are justifying our emissions just the way the people who live in slums justify there grossly filthy and most un-hygienic living conditions, just the way a thief will justify his deeds to run his family. But we know for sure that they are wrong, that we are wrong . . .!
Rather than out rightly pointing fingers on the Developed nations will not help we have to take the first step so that every body can follow. Then however small that step may be but I am sure that will be good enough to shut the developed country’s Mouth for sometime.
2. The developed nations on the other hand are acting like a pimp in a brothel, to prove my point Obama's last minute meeting to secure developing nations common agreement is enough, he behaved as if he is gonna loose one of the potential clients, so he bargained.
Rather than putting constraints on the developing nations they should start helping them develop infrastructure necessary to block the carbon Emissions.
Bravo ...Well written Avinash !!
ReplyDeleteWe have to understand that there is no blame game structure. It is we, it is I who has to make a difference not you !!
Thanks
It goes without saying energy is the Oxygen that drives the world, but now the world has started to look at the ways of generating this energy. The advent of industrial era led to the consumption of anything that burns, to be used as an energy source. We feasted on things that are easily available and build up our energy system over finite sources. I am sorry to say, we had geniuses to take everything like physics, math’s, marketing, and finance etc. to the next level, but there was hardly a leader to pioneer means of energy generation when it was needed the most. Even today, we are discussing things as a group where everyone is trying to put their point of self interest to utmost importance. Result, either a lame agreement or a plan to meet next to discuss things again. It’s like a hostage situation, and each country is sending their negotiators to find the prettiest hostage and get her home. Kyoto protocol, one of the biggest emission signatory document is yet to be signed by US, the nation who accounts for arnd 33% of the emission, and as said by Sherry the biggest consumer of energy per person. But then there are the macro or global level kinks that needs to be ironed out
ReplyDeleteThere is one pertinent question that I would like to ask is, what is it that’s the need of the hour? Is it energy conservation or energy utilization? In my opinion, it should be energy utilization that should be addressed first. We need to find more efficient ways to consume, transmit and store energy. Considering India, being a developing nation it is always in need of electrical sources. But the irony of the fact is in India 30% - 35% of generated electricity is lost in transmission. This is preposterous. We account for 11% of energy loss (US being first with 17%). Boss, guess we needed a lot of home work to do in this regards. This is the problem with many a developing nations. These losses not only eat the revenues of the company, they also hinder the financing of any future project. To put in figures, in India alone the losses due to electricity tunes to around Rs 35000 corers. Guess that should paint the picture for the other developing nations too. So we need effective and more innovative technology for energy utilization.
Now, the problem with the resources and technology is that people are sticking things to their chest. Why? Coz they know this is going to give them the highest ROI in the coming future. "Make hay while the sun shines", the sun of dollar will shine on then pretty soon and they know it. Nobody want to share them without a cost, and for the energy reforms to take shape, it requires much more that individual heroism, a collective responsibility is needed that should be shared by all equally. Energy and Climate conservation and utilization should not be considered a financial cause but a humanitarian cause. Many developed countries have opted for CNG or working for electric cars, using nuclear, wind and hydro as possible energy source. They have the capital, the technology and the direction for themselves. Take the ideas to the third world countries, there you get the manpower. Help them implement the greener technologies so that they do not build the foundation of their growth on depleting resources. Brazil, South Africa has huge potential for hydro powers. Just like ISS has been setup in the space in collaboration with 16 nations, we can have a joint collaboration of nations to collectively work in providing greener and efficient energy solution to themselves and to others.
There are certain pockets of such initiatives being taken up in different areas. Countries have set in hard deadlines for themselves to become carbon neutral in near future. Strangely, Sri Lanka is on top the list of nations to be carbon neutral. It’s needed that these isolated dots be joined to create a wave of collaboration of human and technology.
I am pretty naive to say that now is the time to decide or else it would be too late, but I know that the clock is ticking and some decision needs to be put on the table.
Links for reference
ReplyDelete1. http://www.nationmaster.com/red/pie/ene_ele_pow_tra_and_dis_los_mil_kwh-transmission-distribution-losses-million-kwh
2. http://cleantechindia.wordpress.com/2008/07/16/indias-electricity-transmission-and-distribution-losses/
3. http://www.co2worldcup.org/
4. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata-/Carbon-control-the-Gandhi-way/articleshow/4660311.cms (Charity DO begins at home)
5. http://www.350.org/nasheed (This is my personal favorite, speech of Maldives president in Copenhagen)
Wow ..that was enlightening..:)
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your effort to go into the the statistical data, and the need to under consumption. But at the same time you need to understand conservation, as both walk hand in hand with each other. Only if you understand consumption n wastage now and no conservation of these resources, there will be one day when we sit and discuss again about how early we should have started to think about it at the same time.
Brilliantly put... I hope we have people reading us to join us.
They are like twin sisters, hit one and the other will feel the pain.Likewise if we work towards managing consumption we have increased outputs and revenue management. working our ways up we can then easily rectify the sources of energy that depend on fossil fuel, and move them quickly to more clean green and infinite sources. Its like a bottom up approach. All the greener methods require capital,much more than the contemporary ones. So why not tighen the nooose at home and conserve what is being wasted. It can be dealt in 2 possible ways
ReplyDelete1. Educate people to use efficient means, so that they dont waste electricity. This automatically reduces the overall requirement for energy,and money put up on future thermal plants can be directed to better options.
2. Cut down on losses as metioneded.Police the people to prevent energy thefts and oils spillages. I wecan recover a sizable fraction of Rs 35000 crores, we have extra money again.
The collaboration at the global level and awareness and policing at the local level need to go in hand in hand.
There could be a year long campaign.Use ads, media,nukkad nataks to create awareness. We can bring a change in people's thinking, and i guess thats the best possible head start that we can give to any such effort.