Page 26 - Suncor Report on Sustainability 2014 - English

24 Suncor: report on sustainability 2014

Climate change:
80%

GHG emissions from a
barrel of oil, generated at
the point of consumption
a different kind

of tipping point

The phrase ‘tipping point’ is frequently

invoked when it comes to the challenge

of addressing global climate change.

Typically, this refers to a point, or points,

at which the earth’s systems would irreversibly

change as a result of human impact.

Developing these projections, and striving
The International Energy Agency (IEA) projects
to understand the societal choices that could global energy demand will grow by one-third

determine whether or not these scenarios by 2035. While renewables will play a more
come to pass, is important and valued work.
important role, fossil fuels remain dominant –

still forecasted to account for 76 per cent of
Currently, though, we are at risk of triggering
the global energy mix in 2035. Oil is expected to

a different kind of tipping point. It’s the point remain the primary source of transportation fuels.
at which the climate change challenge seems

so complex, and positions so polarized, that we The bulk of the growth in energy demand
can no longer ind the collective desire to seek will come from the growing populations –

constructive solutions.
and emerging economies – of Asia.

To avoid this tipping point, we need to start
These projections reinforce the strong
a new and different type of conversation. It connection between energy development and

will require the courage to ask some tough economic progress. Since 1990, global energy
questions – and the humility to recognize that demand has grown by 45 per cent; over that

none of us have a monopoly on wisdom when same period, the size of the global economy
it comes to providing answers.
tripled and some 700 million people moved

from poverty to the global middle class. Greater
Energy choices
access to energy has also meant greater access

So what are those tough questions? Here’s just to everything from health care and clean water
to cell phones and transportation vehicles.
a few of them:
– What does the future hold in terms of energy

demand given the growing population?
Yet for all of that, 1.3 billion people still lack
– How can we best meet that demand while
access to electricity, while double that number

also addressing the environmental impact
continue to rely on wood or other biomass
of energy production and consumption?
for cooking. The scale of the global energy

– What role can technology and innovation
challenge is daunting indeed.
play in this?

– Is there still room for constructive
But so, too, are the environmental challenges
collaboration on our energy future?
associated with energy development.