Energy Past, Present and Future: Impacts on Climate Change

By Mieke Lek

The energy industry has been one of the largest contributors to climate change since the industrial revolution. Not only that, but the CO2 emissions found in the atmosphere are continuously rising and are only projected to rise if the energy sector continues to rely on fossil fuels. However, if we decide to change this future outcome and implement sustainable energy solutions, the energy sector’s threat to climate change can effectively be diminished!

Past

Prior to the industrial revolution, the atmosphere was warming naturally at a very slow rate; climate change still occurred, but on a much smaller scale that was relatively unaffected by human activity. In this time, the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere fluctuated around 280 parts per million (ppm) and never exceeded 300 ppm [3]. However, this amount was about to drastically change with the invention of a crucial device in 1712: the steam engine [1]. This engine was powered by coal and was first used to power pumps in mines to reduce flooding, so miners could retrieve more coal [6].

During the industrial revolution, which started in 1760, the development of a lot of environmentally detrimental processes in the energy sector accelerated the severity of climate change. In 1896, about 50 years after the industrial revolution, chemist Svante Arrhenius confirmed that the coal burning made popular by the revolution advanced the natural atmospheric greenhouse effect. This coal burning remained a primary source of energy throughout the industrial revolution [3] since at the time, most scientists believed this global warming was a good thing. From this, in 1927, carbon emissions from the energy sector were found to be about 1 billion tonnes per year [1]. 

Figure 1: Graph Illustrating increase of CO2 Emissions from Industrial Revolution to Present. Note: This is for all sectors, not just energy; however, it is still important to note this rise was accelerated by the energy sector in the industrial revolution [3].

Present

Fossil fuels remain one of the largest sources of energy in the world, and as of 2019 the levels of CO2 in the atmosphere reached 409.8 ppm [3]. Energy production in general has continued to be the primary source of greenhouse gas emissions throughout the years with roughly 72% of emissions stemming from the energy sector. The exact breakdown can be found in Figure 2 [4]. The average global temperature has risen 1.05 degrees Celsius relative to the beginning of the industrial revolution as of 2019, which is much faster than the pre-industrial revolution rate of temperature change. Our climate is currently the warmest it has ever been [2]. Remember how in 1927 the energy sector was emitting 1 billion carbon emissions per year? Well in 2018 alone, carbon emissions from the energy sector reached 10 billion tonnes. Half of the carbon emissions emitted since the start of the revolution are still in the atmosphere today [3]. However, it is not all bad news: while carbon emissions are at an all time high, the emissions from the energy sector has actually decreased by 7%  from 2019 to 2020 [5].

Figure 2: Global Manmade Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Sector in 2013 [4].

Future

If our primary energy source remains to be fossil fuels, the atmospheric CO2 levels are projected to reach over 900 ppm by the end of 2100 [3] with the ever increasing projection of CO2 in the atmosphere, as illustrated in Figure 3. However, there have been so many technological advancements made in the energy sector since the industrial revolution, and there are many options to replace energy from fossil fuels moving forward. In fact, our articles on the past, present, and future of hydroelectricity and solar power outline the future of those renewable energies best. In terms of other zero-emission solutions, the nuclear industry is also making advancements to eliminate fossil fuel emissions, by investing in the creation of small modular reactors (SMRs). These SMRs can be implemented in smaller communities that rely on fossil fuels to effectively phase out those fuels and reduce the communities’ carbon emissions. To learn more about SMRs, register for the Future of SMRs Panel with NAYGN McMaster on March 10th, or read our article here! These are only a couple of the many sustainable energy solutions that the energy sector can implement in order to slow the process of climate change. 

Figure 3: Projected Amount of CO2 in the Atmosphere [5]

While the energy sector had a rough start when it came to sustainable energy, with the emergence of new technologies and the awakening to the severity of the changing climate, we have the potential to phase out fossil fuels from our energy industry for good. We must do our due diligence as a society to ensure that we take the path of sustainable energy, and not continue to worsen our climate.

For more information on our societal transition from fossil fuels, read our article about it here. 

References

[1] “A brief history of climate change,” BBC News. [Online]. Available: https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-15874560. [Retrieved February 25, 2021].

[2] J. Fox, “Climate Change: Impacts on the Industrial Revolution,” Landmark Academy. [Online]. Available: https://www.landmarkacademyhub.co.uk/climate-change-impacts-of-the-industrial-revolution/#:~:text=However%2C%20since%20the%20industrial%20revolution,a%20short%20period%20of%20time. [Retrieved February 25, 2021].

[3] R. Lindsey, “ Climate Change: Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide,” Climate.gov. [Online]. Available: https://www.climate.gov/news-features/understanding-climate/climate-change-atmospheric-carbon-dioxide#:~:text=Before%20the%20Industrial%20Revolution%20started,the%20Industrial%20Revolution%20in%201750. [Retrieved February 25, 2021].

[4] “Global Emissions,” Centre for Climate and Energy Solutions. [Online]. Available: c2es.org/content/international-emissions/#:~:text=Globally%2C%20the%20primary%20sources%20of,72%20percent%20of%20all%20emissions. [Retrieved February 25, 2021].

[5] L. Cozzi, A. Petropoulos, “Carbon emissions fell across all sectors in 2020 except for one – SUVs,” International Energy Agency. [Online]. Available: https://www.iea.org/commentaries/carbon-emissions-fell-across-all-sectors-in-2020-except-for-one-suvs. [Retrieved February 25, 2021].

[6] “The Steam Engine, the Industrial Revolution and Coal,” Alberta Culture and Tourism. [Online]. Available: http://history.alberta.ca/energyheritage/coal/early-coal-history-to-1900/the-steam-engine-the-industrial-revolution-and-coal.aspx. [Retrieved February 25, 2021].