Global energy consumption rates are on the rise with developed nations consuming the most energy. Energy consumption in developed nations tend to be high due to high level of industrialization and increasing population, nonetheless developing nations are catching up. The U.S Energy Information Administration (EIA) approximates that the energy consumption rates will grow by 0.5% between 2010 and 2040 (EIA, 2016). Developed nations, particularly U.S consume a lot of energy and is responsible for a notable percentage of the global emissions. EIA approximated that U.S. used 24% of global energy (EIA, 2016). Alternatively, energy consumption in Brazil is still high with the common energy sources being hydropower, oil, coal and biofuels. It is necessary to compare energy consumption across nations to create effective and fair strategies for reducing emissions.
Fuel Sources and Greenhouse Gas Emission
The common fuel sources in the U.S. are petroleum, natural gas, coal, nuclear power and biomass. With a global energy consumption rate of 24%, the industries, transportation and residential sectors of the economy are the biggest consumers. In 2015, the leading source of fuel in the U.S was petroleum with a consumption rate of 35.38 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu) in comparison to 34.88 quadrillion thermal units in 2014 (Statista, 2016). The second largest fuel consumed in the US was natural gas, with a consumption rate of 28.32 quadrillion Btu, in comparison to the 27.49 quadrillion Btu used in 2014. Coal is another notable source of energy, with a consumption rate of 15.73 quadrillion Btu in 2015 against 18.01 quadrillion Btu in 2014 (Statista, 2016). Nuclear energy, biomass, solar, and wind power are other notable sources of energy in the U.S, but their consumption rate are quite low in comparison to the consumption of fossil fuel.
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With the increasing fuel consumption, the greenhouse gas emission is also on the rise in the U.S. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (2016), the greenhouse gas emissions in the US totaled 6,870 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2014. The greenhouse emission increased by 1% from 2013 to 2014 due to increased fuel consumption and increase in miles travelled by on-road vehicles. Different sectors are responsible for the total greenhouse emission in the U.S. with the electricity production sector topping the list with 30% (EPA, 2016). The transportation sector is another notorious source of greenhouse gas releasing 26% of the total greenhouse gas emission in 2014. The industrial sector was responsible for 21% of the greenhouse emission in 2014, in comparison to the commercial and residential sector which produced 12%. Lastly, agricultural sector in the US produced the least greenhouse gas in that it accounted for only 9% of the total emission in 2014 (EPA, 2016).
The different sectors responsible for greenhouse emissions in the US are constantly expanding. For instance, the transportation industry grows annually with many businesses and individuals using different forms of transport, hence the increasing emission. Additionally, the rapidly increasing population is accompanied by increased fuel consumption.
On the other hand, the common sources of fuel in Brazil are hydropower, oil, coal and biofuels. Other sources such as natural gas and nuclear power are used on a small scale in comparison to its use in the U.S. Oil remains the source of energy in Brazil just like in the U.S., it is responsible for 39.3% of the total energy used in the country. The transportation sector consumed 33% of the energy in Brazil (Pomela, 2015). Though Brazil is classified as a developing nation, it consumes a lot of energy and it was the eighth largest consumer in 2015 (EIA, 2016).
According to International Emissions Trading Association (IETA), energy consumption in Brazil doubled in the last decade since Brazil remains the fastest growing economy in South America. Additionally, Brazil’s population is expanding drastically with a population of over 200 million in 2016. Nonetheless, Brazil is subsidizing oil imports through domestic oil production (Pomela, 2015). The main source of greenhouse gas in Brazil is land use change and forestry with an approximate emission of 1,065, 134 metric tons of CO2. Another notable sector is agriculture and livestock with an annual average of 364,324 metric tons of CO2 (IETA, 2015). Other notable sectors include energy production and industrial sector. Despite its high energy consumption, Brazil has a relatively low level of greenhouse gas emission.
U.S acknowledges its contribution to the increasing global emissions and is involved in worldwide emission regulations. However, U.S failed to ratify Kyoto Protocol which brought together all nations to work towards reducing their greenhouse gas emission drastically (Goulder & Nadreau, 2001). Under the Protocol, each developed nation was required to cut its emission by a certain percentage to the relative to its 1990 emission. Nonetheless, the US is working with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to reduce its emission levels by 2025 by 28% to reach the 2005 levels. EPA launched the Clean Power Plan, an emission reduction strategy for power plants to reduce emissions by 30% in 2030 which will deliver between $55-93 billion in annual net profits. EPA and the Department of Transportation also launched Standards for Heavy-Duty Engines and Vehicles to create new models of manufacturing engines that will emit less greenhouse gases. Additionally, US is now working on achieving the goals of the Montreal Protocol, and the private sector has stepped in and committed to reducing emissions by 700 million metric tons in 2025.
Being a high energy user, the US can reduce its energy consumption through increasing production of renewable energy. Biomass and wind energy have the potential of reducing fossil energy consumption in the US. Also, US can improve its energy regulation use to avoid wastage.
On the other hand, Brazil has cooperated with worldwide emission regulations framework more than the US. Brazil ratified the UNFCCC in 1994 and Kyoto Protocol in 2002 (IETA, 2015). Brazilian government has been dedicated to reduce emissions through deforestation action plan introduced in 2004. The action plan led to 64% decline in deforestation rates between 2004 and 2009. Additionally, Brazil created the “Política Nacional sobre Mudança do Clima” (PNMC), a national climate change policy that voluntarily established a national emission reduction target 38.9% by 2020 (IETA, 2015).
The US and Brazil represent high-use and low- use countries regarding energy consumption. Partnerships between such nations will be useful as they will share important emission reduction strategies that work. Despite its high energy consumption, the emission rates in Brazil are relatively low and the US can learn a lot from Brazil. Additionally, the two nations can form a body to monitor energy consumption and emission rates from both nations. Lastly, they can share energy resources that remain untapped. However, U.S. and Brazil have distinct cultural differences that should be considered in a partnership. Each nations should acknowledge and respect the unique cultures, and focus on the mutual goal or reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
In conclusion, U.S. and Brazil are in the top ten list of global greenhouse emissions. Despite, the differences in the fuel sources and industries that produce the highest rates greenhouse gas emission, both nations can learn from each other on how to reduce emission to achieve their emission reduction targets.
References
EIA. (2016). TOTAL ENERGY: Energy Consumption by Sector. Retrieved from: http://www.eia.gov/beta/MER/?tbl=T02.01#/?f=M
EPA. (2016). U.S. Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report: 1990-2014. Retrieved from: https://www3.epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/usinventoryreport.html
EPA. (2016). What EPA is Doing about Climate Change. Retrieved from: https://www3.epa.gov/climatechange/EPAactivities.html
Goulder, L. H., & Nadreau, B. M. (2002). International approaches to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Climate Change Policy , 115-149.
IETA. (2015). Brazil: An Emissions Trading Case Study. Retrieved from: http://www.ieta.org/resources/Resources/Case_Studies_Worlds_Carbon_Markets/brazil_ case_study_may2015.pdf
Pomela, M. (2015). Energy Sources in Brazil. Brazil Business. Retrieved from: http://thebrazilbusiness.com/article/energy-sources-in-brazil
Statista. (2016). U.S. energy consumption in 2014 and 2015, by energy source (in quadrillion Btu). Retrieved from: http://www.statista.com/statistics/203325/us--energy-consumption- by-source/
