While the U.S. has finally shifted from being a major energy importer to one of the world’s biggest producers of oil and gas, concerns over greenhouse gases has encouraged the development of alternative energy sources. The International Energy Agency based in Paris will be publishing its annual World Energy Outlook consisting of 763 pages. The report covers the role of the U.S. as an oil and natural gas provider with expectations of 30 million barrels of oil and gas a day by 2023, putting the US in the direction to surpass oil giants Russia and Qatar. This will affect the traditional system of gas sales through long-term contracts. In turn, the report predicts a more freely trade of gas, resulting in lower prices and encouraging developing countries to join the market. While the increase in natural gas usage over coal will hopefully decrease carbon emissions this will only be true if the methane from the natural gas is removed. Although costs of renewable sources are predicted to become cheaper over the next 25 years taking the place of some natural gas usage, the report writes that greenhouse gas levels are still rising way above the international goals laid out in documents such as the Paris Agreement.

The Paris Agreement went into force on November 4th, 2016 uniting 170 nations under a common cause to combat climate change. The goal is to keep the “global temperature rise of this century well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius.” The agreement also hopes to strengthen the ability to aid countries in dealing with climate change impacts. In order to do so the agreement states that the nations will need adequate financial flow and a new technology and building framework to aid weak and developing countries as well. The nations are expected to report their efforts in changing their energy usage and their current emissions regularly. There will also be a collective analysis every 5 years to asses the progress towards their goals. Slowly more nations ratify the convention, currently standing at 170 of 197 parties.

 

 

 

Popovich, Brad Plumer And Nadja. “CO2 Emissions Were Flat for Three Years. Now They’Re Rising Again.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 13 Nov. 2017, www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/11/13/climate/co2-emissions-rising-again.html.

“UNFCCC EHandbook.” UNFCCC EHandbook, bigpicture.unfccc.int/#content-the-paris-agreemen.

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. “Status of Ratification.” The Paris Agreement – Main Page, 12 Oct. 2017, unfccc.int/paris_agreement/items/9485.php.