Energy Matters

At the time of the Population Conference in Cairo, ten years ago (well eleven, now) I was fascinated to read a highly condensed view of the world, based on comparative energy usage. I made a chart at the time, reproduced below, based on the figures in that quote. Originally, I used a Venus symbol to symbolize the unit for each group of citizens. I can't seem to find a web-version of the little ankh-like character that looked like a very tiny person, so I've had to fall back on the rather boring "§" symbol from MS WORD.



These figures were widely publicized when they first appeared, but I'm guessing the world has moved on since then. Is there an up-dated version of this list anywhere? I tried Googling the opening line of the quote, which only results in locating the source. I also thought it might be worth knowing what exactly "… each child born in North America" translates to, in terms of energy consumption. It no longer seems right to identify the villains of consumerism rigidly in North America – not when we have big spenders in the Third World too, e.g., people willing to host weddings at the Eiffel Tower, including flying all their glamourous guests to the bash.



I'm not pretending that I've spent a whole lot of time looking for up-date information – my sloth-genes get in the way too much for such energetic activities. But if anyone knows how I can get more accurate information, I'd be much obliged. Meanwhile, such as it is, here's that old chart:





COMPARISON OF ENERGY CONSUMPTION WORLDWIDE

====================================================================



"Each child born in North America consumes as much energy as …



§§§ … three Japanese



§§§§§ § … six Mexicans



§§§§§ §§§§§ §§ … twelve Chinese



§§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§ … 33 Indians



§§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§ … 147 Bangladeshis



§§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§ … 287 Tanzanians or



§§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§§§§ §§ … 422 Ethiopians."





--–- UNEP Executive, Elizabeth Dowdeswell of Canada, at the Cairo Population Conference in 1994. (as published in The Pioneer, New Delhi, 1994)

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