ABSTRACT
Across the globe, a significant portion of the world’s energy generation comes from the combustion of fossil fuel materials whose by-products are responsible for the world’s climate change. Globally, climate change has significantly affected the existence of humanity in recent times. As a result, there has been a paradigm shift in the way humanity perceives the immediate environment. Adoption of renewable energy resources (RES) offers the benefit of eco-friendliness in the form of low carbon footprints. Therefore, there must be deliberate and concerted efforts in the utilization of RES to combat climate change. This chapter thus focuses on the factors capable of triggering climate change by providing a conceptual review of the available RES with an emphasis on the carbon footprint, and proffers possible pathways for mitigating the release of greenhouse gases (GHGs) into the atmosphere. The potential of biomass energy and small hydropower systems for sustainable community-based energy generation are also put forward. The chapter also takes special cognizance of powering municipal transportation by RES, as a potential means of curtailing GHG emissions from automobiles. Emphasis is equally placed on carbon capture, and utilization and storage techniques. It is hoped that a large number of the targeted audience will find the chapter handy and educative.
