The document discusses different energy sources including fossil fuels like petroleum, natural gas, and coal as well as nuclear power. It provides pros and cons for each energy source. It also discusses climate change and reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that find human-caused greenhouse gas emissions are very likely the dominant cause of warming since the mid-20th century.
7. Petroleum/Crude Oil
• Oil in mud or clay (oil shale) difficult to
remove; clay particles so close together
• Oil in sandstone easier to extract; sand
particles not held as closely together as
clay
• Ample supply for at least 40 years
8. Petroleum/Crude Oil—Pros
• oil is relatively cheap
• easily transported
• high net energy yield
• efficient distribution system
9. Petroleum/Crude Oil—Cons
• dependence on oil
• waste
• discourages use and exploration of
alternative sources of energy
• releases CO2 and other pollutants
13. Natural Gas
• composed mainly of methane
• should last at least 50 years, depending
on Marcellus shale estimates
• one of the cleanest burning of all fossil
fuels
• often found together with oil
23. Is there such a thing as “clean coal”?
• Involves carbon capture and sequestration
• Other impurities like sulfur, which
contributes to acid rain, must be removed
• Still need to dispose of ash
25. Nuclear power—Pros
• no air pollutants
• much less CO2 than fossil fuels
• water pollution and land disruption are
minimal
26. Nuclear power—Cons
• uranium remains suitable for about 3
years, then needs to be replaced
• fuel rods are highly radioactive and few
waste facilities exist
• low net energy yield but improving
• terror, nuclear weapons threat
35. Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change (IPCC)
• Established in 1988 by the World
Meteorological Organization and the
United Nations Environment Program
• IPCC does not conduct research but
assesses available peer reviewed and
published scientific/technical literature on
climate change
• Produces reports about every 5 years
36. IPCC reports
• 2001 report: In the light of new evidence and
taking into account the remaining uncertainties,
most of the observed warming over the last 50
years is likely (66-90% chance) to have been
due to the increase in greenhouse gas
concentrations
• 2007 report: Most of the observed increase in
global average temperatures since the mid-20th
century is very likely (90-99% chance) due to
the observed increase in anthropogenic
greenhouse gas concentrations