Planet in Peril: An Atlas of Current Threats to People and the Environment

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In Terawatt hours

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3 840

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17 1 000 2 000

Source: La Production d’ lectricit d’origine renouvelable dans le monde, sixi me inventaire , Observatoire des énergies renouvelables (Observ'ER) - EDF, 2004.

renewable conventional (fossil or nuclear)

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Electricity output from renewable energy sources still marginal

Research budget

It is consequently unrealistic to claim that off-grid solar panels will save the world from under-develop- ment. It is already possible to supply the necessary energy straight away and more cheaply, but in other ways. On the other hand it is obviously tempting for firms and governments in indus- trialised countries, with the blessing of public opinion, to use development grants to boost funding for research in this field. It looks very much as if countries in the North, concerned about green- house gas emissions, are advocating massive use of renewable energies everywhere but at home, despite the fact that the main markets are located there, along with the essential finan- cial, technical and industrial resources. If we really want renewable energies to achieve their full potential, we must make several changes: - saving energy must become a genuine priority. Otherwise, if energy consumption continues to increase, no production technique, sustainable or otherwise, will be efficient enough

in the immediate future to prevent a climatic disaster; - richcountriesmust finallymakeup their minds to capitalise on the consi- derable potential they have in this field, leaving oil, at its current price, to the developing countries rather than impo- sing policies that are often ill suited to their short-termneeds. Some countries, such as Germany, have already got the

message, launching large-scale, grid- connected wind or solar-powered sche- mes. Others, in particular, France, are doing all they can to resist the trend; - we must help countries in the South with significant biomass, hydraulic or solar-power potential to concentrate their own R&D resour- ces on projects that use such potential wisely and capitalise on it locally.

World potential for 2020

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On the web

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> International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA): www.iiasa.ac.at > World Energy Council (WEC): www.worldenergy.org > Les cahiers de Global Chance: www.agora21.org/editiona21.html > Observatoire des énergies renouvelables:

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www.energies-renouvelables.org > French national energy debate: www.debat-energie.gouv.fr

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L’A TLAS DU M ONDE DIPLOMATIQUE I 21