Energy Resource Issues
(Michael Pidwirny and Tracy Gow)

1. Introduction

Canada has an ever-growing appetite for energy. Energy is used by Canadians for transportation, industry, space heating, cooking, agriculture, and leisure. Since 1950, most of the Canada's and the world's economic growth has relied on fossil fuel energy from oil, coal, and natural gas resources. Globally, the biggest users of fossil fuel energy are the More Developed Countries ( MDCs ) which use this energy to run their industrialized economies. Many MDCs must import energy resources from Less Developed Countries (LDCs) because of supply and production limitations. Fossil fuel resources are finite in supply and are responsible for a significant amount of the world's pollution and environmental degradation.

Nuclear energy was supposed to be producing a significant proportion of the world's energy requirements by the year 2000. However, problems associated with waste storage, safety concerns, and building and maintenance costs have slowed the use of this energy source in most countries.

Future economic development in Canada, other MDCs and LDCs, requires a greater use of energy. On average, Canadians and citizens of other MDCs use more than 10 times the energy per capita than people in LDCs. Projections suggest that by 2050 global demand may be about 4 times 1990 energy use. Many scientists are doubting that this future demand can be met because of supply problems and environmental damage. The future answer to our energy needs may lie in conservation and conversion to new energy technologies.

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