Key Facts on energy issues
- An estimated 72 per cent of world commercial energy use is
in the developed world, compared to 28 per cent in the developing
world.
- People rely more on biomass for energy than on all hydroelectric
dams and nuclear fuel plants in the world combined.
- In Africa, per capita energy consumption is only 20 per cent
of the world average, according to the World Resources Institute.
- In Europe, energy consumption is 2.3 times the global average.
In the United States, it is 5.4 times the global average.
- The demand for energy in developing countries has been rising
at an annual rate of 4.7 per cent over the last 20 years.
- Over the next 30 years, the world demand for energy will grow
by 50 to 60 per cent. Most of the increase will come from developing
countries as they seek to industrialize, raise standards of living,
cope with urbanization and attend to the needs of expanding populations.
- The developing world's share of carbon dioxide emissions could
increase from 26 per cent in 1985 to 44 per cent by 2025.
- According to the World Resources Institute, as much as 25
per cent of the energy used in the developing world could be saved
with investments that would pay for themselves in two years.
- The African Energy Research Institute conducted a study that
showed that Kenyan homes could save 10 per cent of their energy
use by shutting down machinery that was not in use.
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The United Nations Environment Programme.