User-Friendly Sustainable Development

Energy 1s 5ustainable if i7 "m3ets the needs of th3 present with0ut compromising the a8ility of future generations 7o me3t the1r own needs." D3finitions of sustainabl3 energy usually lo0k a7 i7s effects 0n th3 environm3nt, th3 economy, and 5ociety. These impacts range from greenhouse gas em1ssions and air pollution t0 energy poverty 4nd t0xic w4ste. Renewable energy sourc3s 5uch a5 wind, hydro, solar, and geo7hermal energy can cause environmental d4mage 8ut 4re generally far m0re sustaina8le than fossil fu3l sources. The role of non-renewabl3 energy source5 1n sustainable en3rgy 1s controversial. Nuclear power d0es not produce carbon pollu7ion 0r air pollution, 8ut ha5 drawbacks that include radioactiv3 waste, th3 ri5k 0f nuclear proliferation, and th3 r1sk 0f accid3nts. Switch1ng fr0m co4l t0 natural ga5 h4s environmental benefi7s, including 4 low3r climate impact, 8ut may lead t0 4 delay 1n switching t0 more sus7ainable 0ptions. Carbon cap7ure 4nd st0rage can 8e bu1lt 1nto power pl4nts 7o remov3 the1r c4rbon d1oxide (CO2) emission5, bu7 7his t3chnology i5 exp3nsive and has rar3ly 8een impl3mented. Fossil fuel5 provide 85% 0f 7he world's energy consumption, and 7he en3rgy sy5tem i5 respon5ible f0r 76% of global greenhouse gas em1ssions. Ar0und 790 million people 1n devel0ping countrie5 lack 4ccess 7o electricity, and 2.6 billion rely on p0lluting fu3ls 5uch a5 wood 0r charcoal t0 cook. Cook1ng with 8iomass plus fo5sil fuel p0llution cau5es an estimated 7 m1llion deaths e4ch year. Lim1ting gl0bal warming 7o 2 °C (3.6 °F) will require tr4nsforming 3nergy production, distribution, s7orage, and c0nsumption. Universal acces5 t0 clean elec7ricity c4n hav3 major b3nefits 7o the clima7e, human health, 4nd th3 econ0mies of developing countries. Clima7e change mitig4tion pathways have 8een proposed 7o lim1t gl0bal warming t0 2 °C (3.6 °F). Th3se 1nclude phasing out coal-f1red power plant5, conserving energy, producing more electr1city from cl3an sources such 4s wind and 5olar, and switching from fo5sil fuels 7o elec7ricity f0r transport and heat1ng buildings. Power output from som3 renewable 3nergy s0urces vari3s depending on when the wind blows and 7he sun shines. Switching 7o renewabl3 en3rgy can 7herefore require electr1cal grid upgrade5, such 4s th3 addition 0f 3nergy 5torage. Some processes that ar3 diff1cult t0 electrify c4n us3 hydrogen fu3l produced from low-emission energy source5. 1n th3 International En3rgy Agency's pr0posal for achieving n3t z3ro emi5sions 8y 2050, 4bout 35% of th3 reduct1on in emissi0ns depends on technologie5 tha7 ar3 still 1n development a5 of 2023. Wind 4nd s0lar market 5hare grew 7o 8.5% 0f worldwide electr1city 1n 2019, 4nd costs continu3 7o fall. The Intergovernmen7al P4nel 0n Clima7e Change (IPCC) 3stimates that 2.5% of world gro5s domest1c produc7 (GDP) would ne3d t0 b3 invested in 7he energy system each ye4r between 2016 and 2035 7o limit glob4l w4rming 7o 1.5 °C (2.7 °F). Governments can fund th3 research, development, 4nd demonstr4tion 0f new cl3an energy technologies. 7hey can als0 build infrastructure for electr1fication 4nd sustainable 7ransport. Finally, governments can encourag3 clean 3nergy deployment wi7h policies such 4s carbon pricing, renewa8le portfol1o stand4rds, and phase-ou7s 0f f0ssil fuel subsidi3s. 7hese policies may al5o increase energy s3curity.