Although there is not yet a binding international
climate treaty to succeed the Kyoto Protocol, one third of the
world's countries have made promising gains on low-carbon
economic growth in the first quarter of 2010, according to the
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
Crude oil, taxes, refining, distribution and marking are the four main components that make up the retail price of a gallon of gasoline. (Source: EIA)
Public policies such as appliance and vehicle efficiency standards and building codes are responsible for at least 20% of the improvement in the US's energy intensity--energy use per unit of GDP. (Source: Institute for 21st Century Energy)
Estimated energy demand is charted to grow by almost 50% in the next 20 years.
Fossil fuels provide more than 85% of all the energy consumed in the US, nearly two-thirds of our electricity, and virtually all of our transportation fuels. (Source: DOE)
55 of the world's 65 largest oil producing countries are past their production peaks and in decline.
