Question

According to the textbook, “Many experts predict that the largest increase in demand for oil in the coming years will come from increasingly industrialized economies with large populations…” (p. 140)
Can this be offset by measures taken in developed nations to address the energy–climate crisis? Why or why not? What potential strategies could be used to reduce the demand for energy in industrialized economies with large populations?

Answer 1

1. While there is always the possibility of being an offset, the fact point that the increasingly industrialized nations with rapidly growing large populations are constantly using more and more energy and the trend seems that it will continue. These nations have industries that grow exponentially, as well as exponentially growing populations, thus providing lot of labor force. Unlike the developed countries, these countries don't bother with investments in renewable sources of energy, but they use strictly the fossil fuels, which will just make an even bigger environmental problem in the future.

2. The best strategies that can be used by these nations to not be such big consumers of the fossils fuels is that they invest, be it on their own or with foreign aid, into the renewable resources. Most of these nations have great potential for development of such energy sources. We can take Nigeria for example, which has lot of sunny days, as well as great hydropotential, so it can focus on these two for production of energy. Pakistan is a very windy nation, and it also has lot of sunny days, and on top of it has lot of uninhabited land that can be used, so it can focus on these two for production of energy.