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The miracle of renewable energy: Which countries are leading the way?
As the world faces the challenge of climate change, countries are actively promoting the transition to a low-carbon economy (LCE). Such an economic model aims to balance greenhouse gas emissions and absorption to ensure sustainable development and reduce the impact of climate change. With the advancement of science and technology and changes in policies, many countries have made remarkable achievements in the formulation and practice of renewable energy.
Low-carbon economy is defined as those economic activities that provide goods and services but can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including carbon dioxide.
Low-carbon economy is not only a need for environmental protection, but also one of the strategies for sustainable development of various countries in the future. Since the mid-20th century, greenhouse gas emissions caused by human activities have become the dominant cause of observed climate change, making the need for countries to shift to low-carbon models particularly urgent. According to research, continued emission of greenhouse gases will lead to long-term global climate change and may have profound and irreversible impacts on humans and ecosystems.
Necessity of transformation
Many countries have pledged to incorporate reducing greenhouse gas emissions into their national climate change response strategies. Their goal is to achieve carbon neutrality, which means emissions from production and consumption must be controlled and a balance of payments must be achieved through various measures. Achieving this requires a comprehensive strategy that spans sectors from energy to transport to agriculture.
The process of transforming a high-carbon economy into a low-carbon economy requires attention to equity, which is called a just transition.
Actions of various countries
Among international agreements, the signing of the Kyoto Protocol is considered an important step towards a low-carbon economy. Many industrialized countries committed to reducing their carbon emissions in the agreement. Among OECD countries, some countries have shown good examples, such as Switzerland's energy sector, UK industry, Netherlands transportation, South Korea's agriculture and Sweden's construction sector, all of which have provided reference for other countries.
Co-benefit
The transition to a low-carbon economy has multiple benefits, the most important of which is that it can make a positive contribution to the mitigation of climate change. In addition, a low-carbon economy can improve the resilience of ecosystems, promote trade and employment, enhance energy security and enhance industrial competitiveness. However, this process could put jobs in some carbon-intensive industries at risk, especially in regions that rely on traditional energy sources.
According to the Low Emission Development Strategies Global Partnership (LEDS GP) report, there is often a clear business case for moving to low-emission technologies, with payback periods ranging from 0.5 to 5 years.
Energy level
The way of low carbon electricity
Nuclear energy
As of 2021, nuclear energy is being expanded in ways that offer mixed support for reaching a low-carbon economy. Many institutions believe that nuclear energy development is indispensable in achieving decarbonization. The International Energy Agency (IEA) says that in order to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change, widespread decarbonization must be completed by 2040, and nuclear energy must play a role.
Energy transition
As countries gradually promote the development of renewable energy, many countries are facing changes in their power structure due to geopolitical changes. According to the GeGaLo index, if the world fully transitions to renewable energy, many traditional fossil fuel exporters will lose power, while those rich in renewable energy are expected to strengthen their position.
Conclusion
Transforming to a low-carbon economy is not only an environmentally friendly choice for countries around the world, but also the only way to achieve sustainable development. In the face of the climate crisis and environmental challenges, can countries make full use of renewable energy and move towards a truly low-carbon future?
