Image source: http://www.climatechangecentral.com
In addition to the energy supply depletion, the world is now on the path to violate the governments’agreement to limit the rise of the average global temperature to 2 degrees Celsius by 2050. To achieve the target, CO2 concentration in atmosphereby that timeneed to be as low as 450ppm but recently in May 2013, CO2 level in the atmosphere already exceeded 400 parts per million which are the first time in several thousand years. Average global temperatures have already increased by 0.8 °C compared with pre-industrial levels and without further climate action, it is projected that the long-term temperature increase will be around 2.8 °C to 4.5 °C (World Energy Outlook Special Report, 2013). These temperature increases is reversible and potentially create several permanent damage on human’s health and ecosystem as shown in following figure:
Figure Effect of global warming (IPCC Fourth Assessment Report, 2017)
Meanwhile on the other hand, world energy-related carbon dioxide emissions is projected to rise 46% from 31.2 billion metric tons in 2010 to 45.5 billion metric tons in 2040 (International Energy Outlook, 2013). With strong economic growth and continued heavy reliance on fossil fuels, global action for limiting the global temperature rise to 2 °C remains is extremely challenging. The growth in global energy-related CO2 emissions needs to be halted and start to be reduced within the current decade. The development of high efficiency and low-carbon energy supply technologies is urgently crucial.
*article from Mr. Bayu Prabowo, STEM Faculty Member
Reference:
International Energy Outlook 2013, U.S. Energy Information Administration. July 2013
IPCC Fourth Assessment Report: Climate Change 2007, IPCC, 20017
World Energy Outlook Special Report: Redrawing the energy-climate map, U.S. Energy Information Administration , 10 June 2013
