Question

How does energy improve people’s social and economic well-being?
I need at least 5

Answer 1

Answer:

will rise enormously as per capita

incomes and populations grow. By reference to

the situations of people without access to modern

energy forms, the chapter shows why energy

is an economic ‘good’, and thus why energy

supplies will need to be expanded to meet

emerging demands if living standards are to be

improved and developing countries are to

achieve prosperity. Energy demand in industri-

alised countries is also likely to remain

strong, notwithstanding—and to some extent,

because of—continuing gains in the efficiency

with which energy is produced and used. Both

energy resources and financial resources are

amply available to meet market needs.

But will solving the ‘pollution problem’

from energy use prove too costly from an

economic perspective? There is no evidence

that it will, and most assessments point to the

likelihood of an improvement, not a deteriora-

tion, in economic prospects with enlightened

environmental policies. Technologies are now

available for addressing the most serious forms

of local and regional pollution from fossil fuel

use, at costs that are small relative to the costs

of energy supplies. So there is every reason to

be sanguine in this respect. In fact, developing

countries are in a position to address their

local and regional pollution problems at a far

earlier phase of development than were the

industrialised countries before them—within

the first third of this century if they wish.

Furthermore, there are highly promising

options for addressing global warming in the

long term—renewable energy, hydrogen-relat-

ed technologies and fuel cells, for example—

which could be developed through enlightened

research, development, and demonstration

policies.

Much therefore will depend on energy and

environmental policies. In reviewing the

ground rules for such policies, the chapter

shows that the aims of developing countries

for achieving economic prosperity and of

industrialised countries for improving theirs

are fully consistent with those of simultaneously

meeting rising world energy demand and