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FROZEN HEAT
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4.1.1
The drivers
For most of modern history, access to inexpensive and reli-
able energy has been central to economic development and
social progress. However, the world is increasingly charac-
terized by unsustainable economic growth, resource scarcity,
and climate change that is driven by fossil fuel use. In these
circumstances, many policy-makers have recognized the
need to develop strategies to adapt the global energy mix to
meet long-term social and ecological sustainability goals –
part of what is called a green economy.
UNEP defines a green economy as one that results in “im-
proved human well-being and social equity, while significantly
reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities” (UNEP
2010a). In its simplest expression, a green economy relies on
low- to no-carbon energy sources and is resource-efficient and
socially inclusive. In such an economy, growth in both income
and employment is driven by public and private investments
that reduce or eliminate undesirable carbon emissions and
pollution, enhance energy and resource efficiency, and prevent
the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services.
Currently, most of our economic activity and growth relies heav-
ily on carbon-intense energy sources and does not take into ac-
count their negative side effects on environmental quality. While
fossil fuels will remain part of the world’s energy system for
some time, changing the balance of fuels within the mix could
reduce pressure on the global climate system and the world’s
ecosystems. Since natural gas, of all conventional fossil fuels,
4.1
INTRODUCTION
Photo: Lawrence Hislop, GRID-Arendal