As the government continues to drag its feet in the development of low-carbon energy, questions have arisen concerning the dominance of fossil-fuel energy. This led to criticism by the International Energy Agency (IEA), that scrutinised that the development of low-carbon energy is progressing too slowly.
At the launch of the agency’s report on clean energy progress; Maria van der Hoeven, IEA’s executive director, admitted concerns that the effort to clean up the world’s energy has ‘stalled’, according to the Guardian.
“Despite much talk by world leaders, and a boom in renewable energy over the past decade, the average unit of energy produced today is basically as dirty as it was 20 years ago.”
According to the IEA, a new breed of coal-fired energy has stormed through efforts, having grown by a shocking 45% between 2000 and 2010, which casts a shadow over the 25% increase in renewable energy sources.
In the United States, research into shale gas technology has changed the face of American fuel sources, but for Europe, fossil-fuel use has drifted a thick smog across the efforts of clean energy.
Further still, the new nuclear and biofuel production plans have now ground to a pause, its 2012 establishing-target now substantially overdue.
The IEA believes that it is down to government policies and EU trading, which are thought to be too weak to enable clean, efficient energy and technology. In strengthening it, the benefits of clean fuel and energy would be firmly established.
Despite this, there is still hope in the course of trying to make renewable energy a predominant source. The IEA has noted that during the development of solar and wind power, there was a rise of 24% and 19% respectively between 2011 and 2012.
In curbing the scourge of fossil fuels and similar threats to the globe, the world may eventually breathe in a new page in energy production.