Communication Is Key: How to Discuss Energy and Environmental Issues with Consumers
Scientists are now more certain than ever that humans are responsible for climate change through the combustion of fossil fuels. A recent Global Energy Assessment report, compiled by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, indicates that, globally, domestic energy consumption accounts for about a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions. A fundamental shift in energy consumption is needed, moving away from the use of fossil fuels to meet emission reduction targets.
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Social Challenges of Electricity Transmission: Grid Deployment in Germany, the United Kingdom, and Belgium
The European Union needs to decarbonize its energy generation to reach its goals of climate change mitigation and energy security policies. In 2011, the European Commission published a road map to reduce greenhouse gases (GHG) by at least 80% by 2050. The road map foresees five pathways, and, across all of them, renewable energy generation plays a significantly stronger role today. The deployment of renewable energy sources (RES ) to generate electricity is one possible option to decarbonize energy generation.
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Decarbonization of Electricity Systems in Europe: Market Design Challenges
Driven by climate change concerns, Europe has taken significant initiatives toward the decarbonization of its energy system. The European Commission (EC) has set targets for 2030 to achieve at least 40% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions with respect to the 1990 baseline level and cover at least 32% of the total energy consumption in the European Union (EU) through renewable energy sources, predominantly wind and solar generation.
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Obstacles to the Success of Fuel-Cell Electric Vehicles: Are They Truly Impossible to Overcome?
Cities with substantial population growth continue to encounter economic, social, and environmental challenges in their daily operations. This growth has led to public outcry demanding that societies curb their dependence on fossil fuel consumption to limit global warming. In fact, major cities’ usage of fossil fuels constitutes 75% of global energy resource use and accounts for 70% of global greenhouse gas emissions, despite occupying only approximately 5% of the planet’s total land mass. Rapid urbanization also contributes to multiple types of serious environmental pollutants (e.g., air, soil, and water), which affect the people’s health and the quality of life.
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The Water-Energy-Food Nexus in the Face of the Changing Global Climate
To meet the demand for the resources needed to sustain this population increase, it is estimated that food production will have to increase by 60%, energy consumption by 80% and water needs by 55% worldwide.
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