October 22 is World Energy Day. The objective is twofold: to raise awareness about the development of green and renewable energies, while guaranteeing access to energy for all.

Energy is at the heart of our lives. The Industrial Revolution marked a turning point in human history. Lighting, cooking, heating, travel, production, digital...: energy is everywhere. It is the essential source of economic, social and human development. But what makes our daily lives easier could also cause our loss.

With more than 8 billion people on Earth, global energy consumption has continued to increase. In 2023, it reached a record level of 619.6 exajoules (EJ). Mainly covered by fossil fuels, energy consumption disrupts the climate and the environment. Oil, natural gas, and coal are running out.

At the dawn of the 29th^E COP on climate change, what is the energy context? Why is energy a real challenge for humans? What are the solutions to answer them?

Our analysis.

An alarming energy balance

The year 2023 was the year of all energy records in the world, despite the progress of European countries in production and consumption.

Continuously increasing energy consumption

Since the 1970s, global primary energy consumption has continued to increase. After a respite in 2020 due to the health crisis, the numbers continue their Race forward.

In 2022, global energy consumption reached nearly 168,000 TWh, four times more than 60 years ago! In 2023, it increased by another 2% despite the drop in consumption in Europe of 2.2%. The Asia-Pacific region compensated with an increase of 5%.

The acceleration of digital technology could further worsen the energy situation in the years to come. In France alone, theADEME and ARCEP estimate in a report published in 2023 that digital-related energy consumption could increase by 4% in 2030 and by 79% in 2050!

Strong global energy inequalities

Over 90% of people have access to electricity in the world. If access to energy is democratized, global inequalities remain high between countries.

In North America, annual energy consumption averages 230 GJ per inhabitant. It is half as high in Europe, with 122 GJ. But in Africa, it is less than 15 GJ...

A predominance of fossil fuels

Despite the progress of carbon-free energies and renewables, polluting fossil fuels still represent 81.5% of the global energy mix in 2023.

Oil, coal and natural gas remain the three main sources of energy in the world. In 2023, they represent 31.7%, 26.5% and 23.3% of the global energy mix respectively.

Energy challenges in the 21st century^E century

Record energy figures are worrisome. The increase in energy consumption, mostly of fossil origin, is not without consequences for the environment. The depletion of energy stocks could also threaten economic and human development.

Climate and environmental challenges

Still dominant in the world, the combustion of fossil fuels is very polluting. In 2023, the energy sector rejected 35.1 billion tons of CO₂ in the atmosphere, up 1.6% compared to 2022.

These greenhouse gases are a major factor of Global warming. 2023 was the hottest year ever measured. The average temperature was 1.19°C higher than the averages observed in the 20th century.^E century.

Les consequences of climate change are already being felt all over the world: melting ice, rising sea levels, droughts, floods, desertifications, extreme weather events, etc.

For experts in IPCC, the temperature increase will undoubtedly reach +1.5°C in 2040. Developing alternative, renewable and decarbonized energy sources is essential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, preserve the environment and contain the rise in temperatures. The stakes are high: in the medium term, it is life on Earth in all its biodiversity that is under threat.

Economic and human challenges

Another cause for concern: the exhaustion of fossil fuel sources. With current overconsumption, natural gas and oil will disappear before the end of the century. Coal and uranium reserves could last for a hundred years.

The reduction in energy supply would result in the Rising prices, making it more difficult to access it. And what would happen to the human being when faced with energy shortages? A simple power outage is already changing our Western lives. The exhaustion of fossil fuels, foundations of our current economic, digital and societal model, would be a disaster. For example, in France, without natural gas, more than half of households living in apartments would no longer be able to heat themselves. Without oil, more than 95% of the means of transport would stop. Without electricity, 100% of businesses and households would be without lighting.

More widely in the world, economic and human development is strongly correlated to the conditions of access to energy. Access to reliable, sustainable and modern energy services is one of the conditions for development, as set out in the 2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In a dark dystopian vision, the exhaustion of fossil resources could thus spell the end of our modern world and cause conflicts around energy.

Energy: what solutions for tomorrow?

Faced with environmental, climatic, economic and human challenges, it is It is urgent to act on energy today to protect the world of tomorrow. COP28 marked a paradigm shift. For the first time, “the beginning of the end of the fossil fuel era” was mentioned. The priority objective: to reduce the rise in temperatures to 1.5°C, in line with the Paris Agreement.

Reducing energy consumption

In 2023, COP 28 validated a first objective: double energy efficiency improvements in order to reduce energy consumption at the source.

Concretely, it is about Support the sobriety And theee in residential, tertiary and industrial sectors (thermal insulation, installation of less energy-consuming equipment, etc.)

Adopted in 2024, the European directive on the energy performance of buildings go in that direction. It requires all new buildings in Europe to have zero emissions from 2040. In France, the energy transition measures have multiplied in recent years to reach carbon neutrality in 2050: Tertiary decree to monitor the evolution of energy consumption in the tertiary sector, RE 2020 environmental regulations, energy saving certificates (CEE)...

Get out of fossil fuels

singled out for their greenhouse gas emissions, coal and oil are in the sights of the states. The objective? Get out of dependence on these energy sources before they are exhausted.

Europe is at the forefront of the fight. Two symbolic measures have already been implemented: the ban on the sale of new gasoline and diesel vehicles from 2035, and the end of fossil fuel boilers in 2030.

On the coal side, its gradual abandonment was one of the striking conclusions of COP 26 in 2021 with the creation of the Powering Past Coal Alliance. 137 countries, cities and organizations are committed to the elimination of coal-fired power plants that do not have a CO capture and storage system.₂.

Develop renewable energies

Getting out of fossil fuels requires finding an alternative. Renewable energies are at the heart of the energy transition. During the COP28, the stakeholders committed themselves to tripling renewable energy capacity worldwide.

The impetus was already given in Europe in the 2010s. The third version of the Renewable Energy Directive reinforced ambition. As part of the Fit for 55 programme, it increases the share of renewable energies in European gross energy consumption to 42.5% by 2030.

More generally in the world, renewable energies are constantly growing. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has identified a growth of 86% in their capacity in 2023.

Photovoltaic solar energy in particular, experienced exceptional global growth of 24.2%. If thehydropower remains the most exploited and most efficient energy,wind power represents 24% of the development of renewable energies. Les bioenergies (biomass, biofuels, heating networks...) and the geothermal energy have experienced some slowdowns.

However, renewable energies suffer from a unequal distribution in the world. “Geographic and technological concentration threatens to widen the decarbonization gap” according to IRENA. The organization calls for a massive increase in funding and the strengthening of international collaboration.

Decarbonizing fossil fuels

However, the improvement of energy efficiency and the development of renewable energies are too slow to compensate for the overall increase in economic and human activity. Faced with the climate emergency, some scientists support the complementary development of an emerging technology: CO capture₂ in the air, to store it, value it or reuse it.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) believes that these technologies would make it possible to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels by 15%. The organization aims for a goal of 7.6 GT of CO₂ captured every year beginning in 2050.

Nevertheless, This technology remains controversial. Its main defect according to its detractors? Support the maintenance of fossil fuel projects. CO storage₂ in the environment also raises questions.

The depletion of resources, climate change and their consequences on our societies make energy a major challenge, starting today. The improvement of energy efficiency and the massive development of renewable energies are essential to preserve humans and their environment. The human being is at a crossroads. The energy revolution is the sine qua non condition for ensuring the survival of our societies.