China Replaced USA as World’s Top Energy Consumer

On 20 July 2010, International Energy Agency (IEA) released its data according to which China moved ahead of USA to top the list of the most energy consuming nations.  According to data released by IEA, China’s total energy consumption was 2.265 billion tons of oil in 2009 while USA’s energy consumption was 2.169 billion tons of oil in the same year. As per IEA data, coal contributed to more than half of China’s total energy in 2009. However, China has denied the IEA data. It said that country’s energy consumption in 2009 was 2.132 billion tons of oil, less than IEA’s declared data on Energy Consumption done by USA.
China’s coal reserves mainly have brown coal which produces Sulfur dioxide (SO2) when burnt. Sulfur dioxide causes acidic rain. Moreover, the increase in energy consumption has made China the biggest source of Green House gases which is a factor in climate change and global warming.
China is apprehensive of the world community which can pressurize it now to cut its energy consumption to avoid global warming. Rapid industrialization and an increase in population have made China the biggest consumer of energy. To cut back energy consumption, China will either have to halt or reduce the pace of industrialisation which can be detrimental to its economic growth.
• Per capita energy consumption of US is still five times more than that of China.
• IEA (International Energy Agency) was founded in 1973. It is based in Paris.
• IEA is an intergovernmental organisation which acts as energy policy advisor to its member countries.