The time to get smarter about our choices of energy and how we use it is now.
KARACHI: Global energy needs could triple in the first half of this century, if we continue to use energy in the same way we do today. At the same time, many scientists agree that carbon dioxide emissions must be halved by mid-century if we are to avoid dangerous changes to the global climate. And technology will help us unlock additional sources of energy. But those gains may still not be enough to keep up with surging demand.
Many things will have to be done to turn our energy future into a zone of opportunity. Two critical steps will be getting smarter about our choices of energy and making smarter use of it. A good place to start would in the choice of fuel to meet the growing demand for electricity to light up, warm or cool our homes or to power up our industries. This is expected to rise by 75 per cent over the next 20 years.
Increased use of renewable energy like wind and solar will help. But even with rapid development, renewable energy is likely to contribute to only about 30 per cent of the world’s energy supply by 2050, according to a recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Switching to natural gas for power generation will also make a big difference.
In Pakistan, the effects of rising energy demand is evident. At this country’s birth in 1947 there were only 45 million people, including East Pakistan. However, from 1950 to 2008, Pakistan’s urban population grew sevenfold, while the total population increased by over fourfold to 180 million people today. With this rapid growth comes greater energy consumption and pressure on the country’s energy resources. The country’s primary energy use has jumped 80 per cent over the past 15 years alone. Natural gas, which accounts for more than 50 per cent of Pakistan’s primary energy mix, continues to decline, as developments in this vital sector are unable to keep pace with demand.
The time to get smarter about our choices of energy and how we use it is now. Delaying action increases the risk of greater volatility and uncertainties down the road, as recent events have made plain. We must look beyond today’s headlines and take actions to shape the future of energy.
Sarim Sheikh
CEO & MD, Shell Pakistan
Published in The Express Tribune, June 17th, 2011.
