Energy at the Crossroads

Issues related to energy production and consumption are becoming increasingly relevant for the overall economic development and social well-being. There is an almost linear correlation between energy consumption and economy growth. On the other hand, increased energy consumption has adverse effects on the environment, including the presumed influence on climate change. Political aspects of energy resources should not be neglected too, as insignificant number of countries owns most of the non-renewable energy resources. However, the greatest issue related to energy consumption is quite simple: there isn’t sufficient amount of energy resources that could meet the needs and aspirations of the growing global population. This paper provides a quantitative overview of the key issues related to global energy consumption and available energy sources with the aim to draw attention to the looming issues related to the sustainable development.