ABSTRACT
The connection between energy and the environment has been the subject of many studies, and it is sometimes possible to establish a ‘cause and effect’ relationship between energy use and environmental damage. In 400BC, for example, Plato mourned the lost forests, described by Homer centuries before, which had once covered the barren hills of Greece. In this particular case, it was the use of wood, mainly for shipbuilding and in forges to produce weapons, which led to the destruction of the ancient Greek forests. A more recent example is the soil degradation and desertification observed in some areas of Africa, due to the use of fuelwood as a source of energy. For a more detailed timeline, see Annex 1.
