Africa Water, Sanitation & Hygiene Africa water, Sanitation May-June2015 Vol. 10 No.3 | Page 22

Energy
Despite technological advances that have promoted energy efficiency gains, energy use in OECD countries will continue
to grow another 35% by 2020. Commercial and residential energy use is the second most rapidly growing area of global
energy use after transport.
In 2002 the motor vehicle stock in OECD countries was 550 million vehicles (75% of which were personal cars). A 32%
increase in vehicle ownership is expected by 2020. At the same time, motor vehicle kilometres are projected to increase by
40% and global air travel is projected to triple in the same period.
• We can shift our consumption patterns towards goods and services with lower energy and material intensity
without compromising quality of life.
• Households consume 29% of global energy and consequently contribute to 21% of resultant CO2 emissions. The
cost of renewable energy is increasingly competitive with that derived from fossil fuels. One-fifth of the world’s
final energy consumption in 2013 was from renewables.
• Globally, energy consumption grew most quickly in the transport and service sectors, driven by rising passenger
travel and freight transport, and a rapid expansion in the service economy.

Africa Water, Sanitation & Hygiene • May - June 2015

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