Kicking the Oil Addiction
by Oliver and Dawn St John
It seems as though the term "oil crisis" is all we ever hear anymore. If we're lucky, we're hearing that phrase in conjunction with suggestions to solve the problem - alternative forms of energy and ways to curb usage. But that's just here in the U.S. What are other countries doing to use less oil?
Perhaps most notable is the push Sweden has been making towards an oil-free society. Currently, 26% of Swedish energy is generated from renewable sources, a significant proportion when compared with the European average of 6%. To further their cause and strive towards the stated goal of complete oil freedom by 2020, they are also instigating taxation program revisions. These reforms would begin to impose a tax on companies responsible for excessive carbon emissions and would provide subsidies for conversion to oil-free power. Furthermore, they would be providing a tax break for drivers of biodiesel-fueled vehicles.
The conversion to biodiesel, hydrogen and other alternative fuels is a major component of oil reduction in all countries. Iceland, which already generates all its electricity from abundant geothermal sources, is moving towards having all vehicles running on alternative fuels and making the conversions necessary to accomplish this.
In a similar vein to Sweden's and Iceland's efforts, the United Kingdom is striving towards a goal of using 10% renewable energy by 2012. Assisting with this initiative, the Blair government has announced a program which will see it become entirely carbon-neutral by the same year.
Here at home, various mayors all across the country have signed a pact to make their cities compliant with the standards set forth by the Kyoto Protocol, controversially vetoed by President Bush. The pact is entitled the Mayors Climate Protection Agreement and includes cities from New York to Seattle, and in between. A number of states, most notably on the Pacific coast and in the northeast, have also pledged to uphold similar standards.
Not all of the reduction efforts have been as direct, however. Some have been more in the direction of awareness and education, which are just as important if not more so. Hong Kong is currently hosting a campaign by the British Council on fossil fuel reduction, entitled Zero Carbon City. This campaign will use a photo exhibition to illustrate climate change as well as a program called "School CO2 Emissions Campaign," which helps students to learn about carbon dioxide reduction.
A wide variety of countries are starting to act. Above and beyond Kyoto, above and beyond the Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development, nations the world over are beginning to see that global warming is a global problem requiring a global solution.
Sources:
http://www.positivenewsus.org/content/home/news/samplestor_3/swedensays/default_html
http://en.ce.cn/World/Asia-Pacific/200601/10/t20060110_5777384.shtml
http://www.earth-policy.org/Updates/2006/Update53.htm