Energy and Information

Energy and sustainability are inextricably linked. Energy-related emissions as a direct result of the combustion of fossil fuels — a finite resource — account for over 80 per cent of worldwide CO₂ emissions. ¹ Energy also accounts for around one-third of the global emissions of methane, the second most important greenhouse gas. An alternative to fossil fuel-derived energy is renewable energy. Put into context, renewable sources, excluding wastes and passive uses of solar energy, provided 1.8 per cent of the UK's total primary energy requirements in 2006. This was only 0.1 per cent higher than in 2005. ² The intention is to increase this and, as an example, the government is aiming to supply 10 per cent of electricity from renewables by 2010 and 20 per cent by 2020, mainly through an increase in large-scale wind power.