Since the industrial revolution, global energy consumption has been on the rise, increasing by a third since 2000, and is expected to keep growing. Currently, the world uses approximately 580 million terajoules of energy annually – equivalent to the energy of a Hiroshima nuclear bomb detonating every four seconds.
83% of this energy is derived from fossil fuels, with oil, coal, and natural gas being the primary sources. This reliance on fossil fuels has led to a significant increase in CO2 emissions; from 6 billion tonnes in 1950 to over 34 billion tonnes annually today. Although the rate of emissions growth has decelerated recently, they have yet to reach their peak.
To address this critical issue, two strategies are paramount: enhancing energy efficiency and transitioning to renewable energy sources. The EU’s 2023 Energy Efficiency Directive sets an EU-wide target for the reduction in final energy consumption of at least 11.7% in 2030.
Simultaneously, Ireland’s National Energy and Climate Action Plan aims for 34.1% of Ireland’s electricity to be generated from renewable sources by the same year, contributing to a 51% reduction in overall greenhouse gas emissions. These measures are essential steps towards mitigating the adverse effects of global energy consumption patterns.
To combat CO2 emissions in the Cultural and Creative Industries, we need to look at our energy use. A handy guide – especially for large scale outdoor production like festivals or film shoots – is the energy hierarchy:
