EIA Report Projects Significant Increase in Global Emissions

On May 27, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) released a report that projected global marketed energy consumption to increase by 44 percent and global carbon dioxide emissions to increase by 39 percent from years 2006 to 2030, if current laws and regulations remain the same. International Energy Outlook 2009 indicates that the most rapid growth in energy demand is projected in emerging economies in Asia and Latin America where total energy demand is likely to increase by 73 percent, compared to a 15 percent increase in developed economies. Carbon dioxide emissions also are projected to increase faster in nations with emerging economies due to continued economic growth trends and strong reliance on fossil fuels.

A breakdown by fuel type shows that liquids such as petroleum are projected to remain the principal fuel throughout the world because of heavy use in the transportation and industrial end-use sectors. Coal demand is projected to increase at an annual rate of 1.7 percent in the absence of strong national policies or binding agreements to limit the emission of greenhouse gases. Renewable energy technologies such as wind and hydropower are projected to be the fastest-growing source for electricity generation globally, with an annual growth rate of 2.9 percent, due to increasing prices for fossil-fuels and government incentives around the world for renewable energy.