The environmental dilemma of fossil fuels
The increasing atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide poses an environmental dilemma for fossil fuel energy generation that, unlike other related emissions, cannot be resolved by control technologies alone. Although fossil fuels presently provide the most cost-effective global energy source, and model projections suggest that their use is initiating climatic changes which, while quite uncertain, may induce significant, counter-balancing impacts to water resources, coastal resources, ecological systems, and possibly agricultural production. The climate model indicate that the warming should have begun, and there is some evidence for this occurring, but at a less rapid and more uneven rate than projected. In addition, different climate models are not yet in agreement in their latitudinal or regional predictions, and it will likely require a decade or more for such agreement to develop as high performance computers become available for addressing this grand challenge'' problem. Thus, in addition to the prospect for climatic change, the uncertainties of the changes and associated impacts contribute to the dilemma of dealing with the issue. Further, the problem is pervasive and international scope, with different countries and peoples having differing perspectives of technology, development, and environmental responsibility. Dealing with this issue will thus require creativity, commitment, and flexibility.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 5247104
- Report Number(s):
- UCRL-JC-106406; CONF-910626-16; ON: DE92014887
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 6. international conference on emerging nuclear energy systems, Monterey, CA (United States), 16-21 Jun 1991
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
02 PETROLEUM
03 NATURAL GAS
04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
CARBON DIOXIDE
EMISSION
CLIMATE MODELS
ENVIRONMENT
FORECASTING
FOSSIL FUELS
GREENHOUSE EFFECT
GREENHOUSE GASES
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CLIMATIC CHANGE
COOPERATION
ENERGY SOURCES
FUELS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
540120* - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
290300 - Energy Planning & Policy- Environment
Health
& Safety
294000 - Energy Planning & Policy- Fossil Fuels
010900 - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Environmental Aspects
020900 - Petroleum- Environmental Aspects
030800 - Natural Gas- Environmental Aspects
041000 - Oil Shales & Tar Sands- Environmental Aspects