Energy has played an important role in building the world economy today. From enabling man to perform daily activities to enhancing the functioning of many industries, it is sensible to state that energy is of great importance to the world. Due to its importance, fossil fuels such as coal have thus been burnt down to create energy. However, different negative effects are associated with burning such fuels to the environment. For instance, global warming gasses are emitted thus, causing global warming as a result of carbon monoxide, which is emitted while burning coal. Despite their disparities, both developed and developing countries have taken advantage of energy to enhance their economies with unequal consumption identified in each country. The disparities are identified to be as a result of the different fuel sources used in the region. However, what influences the fuel choices used in these different regions? The essay thus gives a deep insight into fuel sources and the gasses emitted in the United States as well as China while elaborating on the total energy consumed in the two countries.
The research thus aims at identifying the factors that determine energy consumption among various regions. The determinants of fossil choices among different individuals across the globe are also identified. Using the United States and China as the case studies, the sources of fuel used in the two countries will be identified, and the total consumption of energy determined in the two countries as well. Solutions to reduce the emissions, which have a negative impact on the environment, will also be identified.
Carbon dioxide emissions, income, prices as well as the economic structure of a country have been identified to be the main determinants of energy choices across the globe. Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions cause global warming in the globe. However, the latter has been identified to have a positive relationship with energy consumption among different regions in the globe. Precisely, when the carbon dioxide emissions increase, energy consumption also increases (Farhani & Ozturk, 2015). Price is another factor, which has also had an influence on energy consumption. Energy consumption is identified to be inversely related to energy prices. For instance, considering regions that use electricity as a source of energy, the demand for electricity will be influenced by their price. An increase in price will lead to the decrease in consumption and vice versa. When the level income is high, energy consumed is observed to increase and decrease when the income levels decline. The economic structure of a country is also a great determinant of energy consumption. When a country has an increasing economic growth, the consumption of energy also increases (Wang et al., 2016)
As a developed country, the United States has a high demand for energy to sustain its economy. Petroleum, renewable energy, nuclear energy, coal and natural gas have been identified to be the main primary sources of energy in the country. The country, which has been identified to be among the most industrial countries in the world, has taken advantage of the fuel sources to run its industries and sustain the growing economic demand. Energy consumption has thus been high as observed from the Information Administration of Energy of the United States. For instance, in 2016, the United States recorded an energy consumption of 73.058, a reduction from the previous year, 2015 where 73.694 was recorded (EIA, 2015). Due to high fossil fuel use in the United States, carbon dioxide has been recorded to be the number one gas emitted in the United States. For that reason, America has been identified to be the second largest carbon dioxide emitter country in the world. Just like the United States, China has been a powerful country in enhancing its economies.
Since the opening of ‘Reform and Opening-up’ policy that was implemented by the Chinese government, the country has experienced massive economic growth thus terming China to be the largest developing country in the globe (Petroleum, 2015). The country, which runs many manufacturing industries in the country, produces high energy to sustain its activities. Coal, natural gas, and hydro have been identified to be the common fuel sources in China, which aid its performance in the industrial sector. Due to its increasing population and demand, energy consumption has hence been high in China, with the country recording a percent of 66 on the coal consumption. Due to high consumption of coal, the country has been recorded to be the highest carbon emitter in the globe (Wang et al., 2016). The country thus emits sulfur dioxide, methane, carbon monoxide as well as nitrogen oxides as a result of coal.
However, the two countries have portrayed various similarities as well as differences in their fuel sources, the emissions as well as energy consumption. First, while petroleum has been identified to be the highest fuel source in the United States, coal has been identified to be the highest primary fuel source in China. Petroleum is thus used in the transportation sector and production of electricity. On the other hand, coal is mainly used in the industrial sector in China. Due to the burning of petroleum, Carbon monoxide is emitted thus causing great hazards to the environment. Although the two countries emit carbon monoxide as a result of the fossil fuels, China further emits sulfur dioxide and methane from the coal mines. Energy consumption is relatively high between the two countries due to the high population as well as the many industries. However, due to its increasing development and population, China has been identified to be the leading country in energy consumption country in the world. Coal consumption has been identified to be 66 per cent of oil consumption ranging from 20 percent (Wang et al., 2016).
The two countries are highly involved in the regulations concerning the emissions, which are hazardous to the environment. Peaceful negotiations have been conducted between the two countries with both agreeing to reduce carbon dioxide emission. The two nations have further attended climate change summits to identify solutions to the pressing global issue of global warming. For instance, the United States agreed to cut greenhouse emission gasses by 25 % in 2015 at a climate change summit in 2006 (Green & Plotkin, 2011).
Conversely, countries with varying levels of energy demand can work together to reduce the emissions. First, fossil fuels can be replaced by renewable energy such as the use of wind energy and biogas. Through the alternative measure, carbon dioxide emission will reduce hence reducing environmental hazards. However, what are the alternative sources to run the powerful industries? Individualism and collectiveness form the basis for cultural differences among the low and high energy consumption nations. While nations such as the United States and the European Union hold the individualism notion, other developing countries depend on collectivism. Due to the individualism and collectiveness cultural differences, the nations are more reluctant to adopt the alternative sources of energy. However, high and low electric use countries can bridge the cultural differences among the countries through strategic partnership. The latter can be achieved through encouraging global seminars to address the issue of fossil fuel emission and deforestation to counter the issue of global warming. In conclusion, all nations will thus be encouraged to adopt the alternatives without considering their superiority to make the world a better place for all living things. In this case, both people and animals will get clean environments such as air and water, which would promote a healthy lifestyle. Illnesses that occur due to the exposure to dirty environments would reduce as well.
References
EIA, U. (2015). Energy Information Administration. 2015e.“Annual Energy Outlook 2015.”. Technical report, US Energy Information Administration-Independent Statistics, and Analysis.
Farhani, S., & Ozturk, I. (2015). The causal relationship between CO2 emissions, real GDP, energy consumption, financial development, trade openness, and urbanization in Tunisia. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 22(20), 15663-15676.
Greene, D. L., & Plotkin, S. E. (2011). Reducing greenhouse gas emission from US transportation. Arlington: Pew Center on Global Climate Change.
Petroleum, B. (2015). BP Statistical Review of World Energy June 2015, 2015. London, UK: British Petroleum Google Scholar.
Wang, S., Li, Q., Fang, C., & Zhou, C. (2016). The relationship between economic growth, energy consumption, and CO 2 emissions: empirical evidence from China. The science of The Total Environment, 542, 360-371.
