Fuel Issues in the United States and India Essay

Introduction

Countries, households, and individuals emit various greenhouse gases. Large quantities of greenhouse gases are emitted by different industrialized nations. Various economic activities determine the amount of greenhouses gases emitted by different countries. Awareness programs and partnerships can help more societies make the best fuel choices (Panwar, Kaushik, & Kothari, 2011). Multilateral partnerships focusing on environmental conservation can make it easier for more regions to make positive fuel choices. This paper gives a comparative analysis of the major fuel issues between the United States and India.

Primary Sources of Emission

The United States is one of the leading emitters of greenhouse gases (GHGs). The first source of emission is electricity production. The country burns fossil fuels such as natural gas and coal to produce electricity. Around 67 percent of America’s electricity is obtained from fossil fuels and accounts for 30 percent of its GHG emissions (the United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2016). The transportation sector accounts for around 26 percent of its total GHG emissions. Industrial emissions account for 21 percent of greenhouse gases. The agricultural sector accounts for 9 percent. Eighty percent of India’s energy is produced from coal. The transportation and agricultural industries also emit GHGs.

Industrial Profile of Each Country

The United States has several industries that support its economy. The leading industry in terms of GDP is the real estate sector (the United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2016). Manufacturing industries focus on different products such as aircraft, automobiles, and household devices. The mining, waste services, construction, and transportation industries also support the country’s economy. The agriculture, mining, construction, energy, and manufacturing industries also result in GHG emissions.

India’s industrial sector plays a positive role in supporting its economic growth and development. The leading industries include textile, agriculture, food processing, chemical, steel, cement, software, mining, petroleum, and automobile (Pahuja, Pandey, Mandal, & Bandyopadhyay, 2014). Most of these industries continue to increase the country’s GHG emissions (Pahuja et al., 2014).

Fuel Sources, Emissions, and Consumption: Similarities and Differences

India is a major consumer of energy despite the current deficit affecting its economy. The “major energy sources in the country include coal (54.5%), crude oil (29.5%), and natural gas (7.7 percent)” (Pahuja et al., 2014, p. 3). The other sources include nuclear energy, biomass, wind power, and hydro-electricity. India is the fourth largest consumer of energy in the world. These statistics are similar to those of the United States.

For instance, coal accounts for 33 percent of the country’s energy source. The other sources include nuclear energy (20 percent), natural gas (33%), petroleum (1%), and hydropower at 6 percent (the United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2016). Solar and wind energy are also used in the country. The United States is the second-largest energy consumer in the globe after China. The country’s GHG emissions account for 16 percent of the global total. India contributes around 6 percent of the total global GHG emissions.

Countries’ Involvement in Global Emissions Regulations

The United States has been focusing on the best approaches to address the problem of climate change. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) embraces the best standards to monitor GHG emissions. The agency uses various laws and regulations to ensure different industries minimize their GHG emissions (the United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2016). The EPA has been presenting various initiatives to deal with greenhouse gases. The Clean Air Act has been implemented to reduce carbon dioxide and other GHG gases. The agency also promotes the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program. The role of the program is “to collect information from the leading emitters of greenhouse gases” (the United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2016, para. 5).

India is one of the major economies known to pollute the natural environment. The country has therefore been on the frontline to address the problem of the climate challenge. From an international perspective, the Indian government has been focusing on the best strategies to reduce its GHGs emissions (Pahuja et al., 2014). The country plans to have managed to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 20-25 percent before the year 2020 (Pahuja et al., 2014). The country launched the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC). The NAPCC has outlined eight missions aimed at tackling the problem of climate change.

Energy-Use Regulations in High-Demand Countries

High-demand countries have been observed to emit large volumes of greenhouse gases. This problem can, therefore, be addressed using several initiatives. To begin with, these high-demand nations should use various steps to address the problem of climate change. Regulations should be used to ensure GHG emissions have been reduced significantly. As well, the countries can use powerful monitoring systems to ensure appropriate reduction strategies are put in place (Panwar et al., 2011). Scientific studies and innovation should be embraced to produce superior products that can reduce GHG emissions. For instance, vehicles, trains, and aircraft should be fuel-efficient.

This move will ensure these countries minimize their GHG emissions. As well, renewable sources of energy have been observed to produce minimal greenhouse gases. Studies show that “wind, solar, and hydroelectric power does not pollute the natural environment” (Sarker & Corradetti, 2013, p. 34). These renewable sources should be embraced by such high-demand nations to reduce their emissions.

Collaboration Between Low-Use and High-Use Countries

Both high-use and low-use nations can collaborate to reduce global emissions. It is agreeable that cultural differences and diversity concepts can emerge from such partnerships. For instance, the lessons learned from the Kyoto Protocol show clearly that many regulations have been biased. All countries should, therefore, formulate the most appropriate strategies aimed at minimizing the challenges of climate change. This is the case because climate change affects every society across the world (Sarker & Corradetti, 2013).

Cultural differences should also be bridged using strategic partnerships whereby every player is treated as an equal partner. Both developed and underdeveloped nations should work together to deal with poverty (Sarker & Corradetti, 2013). Developed nations can also encourage underdeveloped regions to engage in the most appropriate sustainable practices. The partnerships should ensure every vulnerable region is monitored. Every nation can be empowered to implement effective climate change programs. Different countries should share scientific information and data to foster international cooperation. These multilateral partnerships will ensure low-emission strategies are developed in every corner of the world.

Conclusion

The United States and China use fossil fuels to support their major industries. Consequently, the use of fossil fuels has led to increased levels of GHG emissions. These countries have managed to implement appropriate policies to address the problem of GCG emissions. Likewise, emerging nations can form strategic partnerships with the developed world in an attempt to deal with this issue. The use of multilateral partnerships will address the existing cultural differences to make the natural environment more sustainable (Panwar et al., 2011). These measures will eventually encourage more nations to embrace the use of renewable energy sources.

Reference List

Pahuja, N., Pandey, N., Mandal, K., & Bandyopadhyay, C. (2014). GHG mitigation in India: an overview of the current policy landscape. IFMR Research, 1(1), 1-28.

Panwar, N., Kaushik, S., & Kothari, S. (2011). Role of renewable energy sources in environmental protection: a review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 15(1), 1513-1524.

Sarker, T., & Corradetti, R. (2013). Energy sources and carbon emissions in the iron and steel industry sector in South Asia. International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, 3(1), 30-42.

United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2016). Web.