Global energy use expected to jump 53% by 2035

Unpublished
Global energy use is expected to jump 53 per cent by 2035, largely driven by strong demand from places like India and China, according to the US government’s Energy Information Administration (EIA).

Combined, developing nations currently use slightly more energy than those in the developed world, said the EIA. By 2035, they are expected to use double.

"Concerns about fiscal sustainability and financial turbulence suggest that economic recovery in the (developed) countries will not be accompanied by the higher growth rates associated with past recoveries," the report said.

"In contrast, growth remains high in many emerging economies, in part driven by strong capital inflows and high commodity prices."

The 53 per cent rise is slightly more than the 49 per cent increase the agency predicted in last year’s report.

Accompanying the surge in energy use is a correspondingly large jump in greenhouse gas emissions. EIA sees energy-related carbon dioxide emissions rising 43 per cent by 2035.

The projections, in the agency’s 2011 International Energy Outlook, are based on current policies.

They could change substantially if countries like the US and China passed stronger laws restricting carbon dioxide emissions.

Banners

Videos