As the world’s most populated country, China is the largest energy consumer and producer in the world due to its fast growing economy and population density. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, China became the largest global energy producer in 2007 and largest global energy consumer in 2010. By 2011, China was also the largest power generator in the world. China is also the world’s top coal producer, consumer, and importer and is accounted for half the world’s coal consumption.
China’s growth has transformed energy markets in the world since it is the major exporter of oil and coal. China’s quickly increasing need for energy leads to major geopolitical implications. As a country with abundant natural gas producing regions, China has proved to be one of the world’s top oil and gas purchasers. In 2008, most national companies have increased their international gas and oil assets due to a substantial need for oil and gas security.
Although energy intensity is supposed to increase during the early periods of industrialization in developing countries, China’s energy consumption grew at half the rate of growth domestic product (GDP) growth during the 1980s and 1990s. However, the trend changed in 2001 as the energy consumption grew 1.3 times more faster than GDP through 2005 followed by a decline from 2005 to 2010 period. This decline was caused by administrative policies such as closing down small thermal power plants and state energy conservation program for large energy-intensive enterprises. China’s increasing energy consumption from 2011 was related to the comubstion induced CO2 emission. In China, the emission of CO2 increases through the consumption growth have outweighed emission reduction from energy ...
... middle of paper ...
...ns of CO2 in 2011 and they plan to reduce carbon intensity by 17% and energy intensity by 16% between 2010 and 2015 according to their 12th Five-Year Plan. China is also planning to reduce its overall CO¬2 emissions by at least 40% between 2005 and 2020 (EIA).
By comparing China to the rest of the world, China has one of the largest energy consumptions and energy-related carbon dioxide emissions. The global primary energy consumption graph shows that China was the leading energy consumer in the world from 2010 to present and predicted to increase until 2040. China’s energy consumption more than 100 quadrillion British thermal in 2014 and predicted to increase to close to 200 quadrillion British thermal in 2040. By looking at the global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions, China is predicted to have more than 10,000 million metric tons by 2040.
America is dependent on other nations for their ability to create energy. The United States is the world’s largest consumer of oil at 18.49 million barrels of oil per day. And it will continue to be that way for the foreseeable future considering the next largest customer of oil only consumes about 60% of what the U.S. does. This makes the U.S. vulnerable to any instability that may arise in the energy industry. In 2011, the world’s top three oil companies were Saudi Aramco (12%), National Iranian Oil Company (5%), and China National Petroleum Corp (4%). The risk associated with these countries being the top oil producers is twofold. One, they are located half way around the world making it an expensive to transport the product logistically to a desired destination. And two, the U.S. has weak, if not contentious,...
Our energy needs have significantly changed since the first Industrial Revolution that took place in the period from about 1760 to sometime between 1820 and 1840. Before this time period, our energy needs were modest. For heat, people relied on the energy of the sun, but when it failed them, they burned wood, straw and dried dung. For transportation horses and the power of the wind was used in sails. For agricultural work animals were used to do the jobs that could not be done with man labor. By harnessing the power of steam and wind simple machines could be run to grind our grain and pump our water. The Second Industrial Revolution, also called the Technological Revolution is considered to have begun around the time of the introduction of the Bessemer steel in the 1860s. This technological Revolution is considered as the second phase of the Industrial Revolution that resulted in factory electrification, mass production, the creation of production lines and the development of machine tools. With the appearance of the low cost automobile and the wide spread of electricity our society's energy needs have changed forever. Since the modest beginning of the oil industry in the mid 19th century, petroleum has risen to global dominance leading to mass consumption as the primary fuel to generate electricity, heat, to power our homes, cars and to support economic growth. Unfortunately, as a consequence of industrialization, atmospheric CO2 levels started to rise in proportion to the usage of fossil fuels. This trend raises some concerns about the well being of our environment, and researchers around the world started to look for alternative, cle...
Fang and other researches conducted a study of calculating the emissions in china over the course of 20 years from 1990-2010, and did a projection until 2020. They found that the highest SF6 emission came from electrical equipment sector (about 70%), followed by magnesium production, and the semi-conductor (10% each). While China is one of the main producers of metals and semiconductors, they did not contribute towards the reduction of GHG. An accelerated growth rate of SF6 occurred between 1990 and 2010. The fact that China ended up increasing the emissions of the most potent GHG, it makes the Kyoto Protocol ineffective as a whole. Global contribution from China rose from 0.9% in 1990 to 22.8% in 2008 (Fang, 2013). This ended up making China one of the most crucial contributors to recent growth of GHG emissions, rendering the Protocol as a
In the atmosphere CO2 along with other GHG absorbs and hold the rays of the sun. The GHG holds the warmth of the sun rays in the air. This causes the air around the world to get warmer. In other word CO2 had its pros and cons, but too much of anything is bad. In the chart “Top Ten Carbon Dioxide-Emitting Countries, 2013” it shows that China ranks number one in countries that have high CO2 emission with 10,281,178 Kilotons of CO2. Dictionary.com defines kilotons as a unit of weight, equal to 1000 tons. The United States follows Chine with 5,297,581 Kilotons of CO2. Brazil places last with 511,982 Kilotons of CO2. For this reason global warming affects the world and has become a big
Ze-min, J. 2008. Reflections on Energy Issues in China. Journal of Shaghai Jiaotong University 13 (3): 257-74. Springer. http://www.springerlink.com/ (accessed March 4, 2011).
China is on the quest to secure massive amounts of energy. This demand for this overall energy is based on the fact that China is the country with the most population on the globe and with a rapidly growing economy. According to Jenkins (2012), over the last 30 years the GDP has increased over 9 percent annually, which makes China the second largest global economy. China has out ranked Germany in becoming the world's number one exporter (Jenkins, 2012). The developments from this growth are an across the board effect on motorization, urbanization, and industrialization which is manifested in the extensive construction of infrastructures and the extreme popularity of automobiles. The results of these factors are energy concerns, both environmental and precautionary, and a rapidly increasing demand for oil, particularly as a fuel for automobiles. Linwei, Feng, Zheng, and Pei (2012) asserts that views on the future oil consumption of China varies with support for oil independence, a steady course of oil reliance, or the suggestion of development of a limited level of substituting alternative fuels. Because of their desperate need for energy, China is pouring monies and labor into the expansion of other countries hoping to secure entrance and access to resources. These opinionated differences are forcing decision makers to evaluate the situation again and continue to study the development and future trends of oil in China. Although China is a coal producing country and has increased its natural gas usage, its need for oil is great, especially since in 2011, the International Energy Agency reports China's oil consumption growth was responsible for 50 percent of the global oil consumption growth. The country is searching for alternati...
... This has resulted in increased pollution due to livestock releasing methane gas into the air. And due to demand for electrical goods from western countries, it has helped China to produce a capitalist economy. This has enabled China’s citizens to have a prosperous lifestyle, which has increased pollution due to the increase in energy use and waste production. Furthermore, although the Chinese government and its citizens are trying to tackle their environmental problems, it seems to be too little too late.
CNN’s article “Pollution Is Driving Foreign Executives out of China”, by Charles Riley, concerns foreign policy, companies from around the world. They are complaining that they are “having trouble” because of the “rising concerns over intense air pollution” in China. By far, China has the worst pollution problem on the international level. Eventually, global warming will get a lot worse and there will be nothing that we can do about it. CNN states that “greater numbers” of people are complaining about the “choking air pollution, contaminated food, and water”. Some people are taking action towards reducing pollution such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Their main goal is to regulate pollution to a minimum so that operation does not become a risk factor. These actions include a proposal that will enforce reduction of coal. Their proposal states that it is “designed to cut carbon dioxide emission from existing coal plants by as much as 30 percent,” according to the Washington Post. The most difficult part of this mission would be to convince China to reduce its coal burning, as the majority of China’s development is run by coal. As for now, though, the EPA has only focused on U.S and its coal plants. By 2030, the agency seeks complete natural gas plant
China in the last decade has been going under one of the fastest industrial developments in history, with their claims of wanting to build several New York size cities throughout the country, China plans to connect the whole country though the rail system to unify and bring industry to the country as a whole. China biggest growth is in the transportation and textile industry, and in order for the growth to be sustained China relies heavily on the oil important. Even though China relies heavily on outside imports, ch...
To say that China underwent a rapid economic ascension over the past fifty years is a gross understatement; the nation transformed itself from a largely agrarian society into one of the world’s most successful and powerful industrial giants. Through a series of economic, social, and political reforms, the country launched head first toward modernization and secured its place amongst the most influential world powers. However, a country that affixes its national onus solely upon the process of modernization is bound to ignore various spectrums of society, and in the case of China’s rapid industrial growth, the cost of progress took its largest toll on the environment. One of the more popular jokes during the 2008 Beijing Olympics was the question of whether or not the athletes would even be able to breathe correctly due to China’s air quality, yet this seemingly humorous observation underscores a problem which is hardly a laughing matter. China has become the leading country in terms of its nation-wide level of greenhouse gas emissions, over taking long-time leader, America. This ominous “achievement,” as well as numerous others which further undermine China’s environmental and medical well-being, have caused the government to recently undergo a series of dramatic environmental reforms which hope to undo the deep damage that has been inflicted upon China’s ecosystem. While China successfully completed its journey toward becoming a modern super power, its current goal of mitigating the effects of climate change and nation-wide pollution is perhaps just as important for the country’s future.
The globalization of coal may be the top reason for climate change, especially in China. Particularly, burning coal is the biggest source greenhouse emissions. “China is currently building over 1 gigawatt of new coal plants every week.” 1 This is dangerous since those producing the coal, only use the energy and leave the carbon dioxide behind; dumping it into the atmosphere and increasing the greenhouse effect. As a result, the rise in temperature may
...st and stand in the world. It is predicted that China will one day be the largest economy growing country in world. They continually growing and rebalancing their world to be the best. The growth of economy will depend on the Chinese government comprehensive economic reforms that more quickly accelerate in China transition to a free market economy. The consumer demand, rather than exporting the main engine of economic growth; boost productivity and innovation; address growing income disparities; and enhance environmental. (Morrison, 2014,para2)
Since 1997 after the first agreement in Kyoto, nations have taken very limited steps to reducing greenhouse gas emission. There are many reasons why greenhouse gasses have increased such as rainforest deforestation which is vital since trees absorb carbon dioxide. With fewer trees more carbon dioxide builds up in the atmosphere. Usage and burning of fossil fuel, releases greenhouse gases since it burns and emits carbon dioxide into the atmosphere or even population growth which contributes to the high supply and demand for food, livestock, land, energy and water. However it is up to leading nations to change their eco-footprints to eliminate the increasing greenhouse gas affect. Author William Nordhaus of Yale University conducted a study which examines alternative outcomes for emissions, clima...
...together as one through the phenomena of globalization. China has taken advantage of this situation and has become the economic power of the world by being attractive for foreign production and investment. Though, Chinas economic boost has gone hand in hand with environmental concerns, and GHG emissions being the main one. A third of the world’s coal consumption is consumed by China, and these fossil fuels consequently have an impact on environment of China, but also surrounding countries. It has thus become obvious that Chinas issues are the world’s issues. Even though China does not want to become part of the Kyoto Protocol, it has set ambitious goals to reduce GHG’s. It already is the largest global investor in new renewable energies, and has set goals to battle climate change. However, officials have said that these are meant for reaching out to other countries.
"U.S. Energy Information Administration - EIA - Independent Statistics and Analysis."China Consumes Nearly as Much Coal as the Rest of the World Combined. U.S. Energy Information Administration, 29 Jan. 2013. Web. 22 Feb. 2014.