Climate Change
Carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere started to increase during the industrial revolution in the 1800's. This has lead to an increase in the global mean temperature. Scientists predict the average global surface temperature could rise 0.6-2.5°C in the next 50 years, and be up by between 1.4 and 5.8°C in 2100.
This climate change is expected to melt polar ice caps and glaciers, and raise sea level by up to a metre. Global warming is likely to disrupt food supplies, flood low-lying land, and push plants and animals into extinction.
As concerns grow about global warming and greenhouse gas emissions, there have been calls for international cooperation to address the problem. The Kyoto Protocol, adopted in 1997, requires most developed nations to reduce their emissions of carbon dioxide by 2010. However, total world electric power capacity stood at 3.4 million MW in 2000 and the demand for power is constantly on the increase.
The threats to our environment, and serious political initiatives, have motivated people to begin looking at renewable energy as a mainstream, long-term source of power. It is the burning of fossil fuels which is leading to the release of carbon dioxide which has been stored for many millions of years.
Renewable energy can be generated from either carbon neutral (such as biomass) or carbon free resources (such as wind). Renewable energy sources are also sustainable unlike the finite fossil fuel sources.