National Competence

Abstract

Addressing the issue of sustainable resources in nations that largely obtain their energy from oil, coal and gas is a formidable goal, but one that we must pursue rigorously. Moreover, many uses of fossil fuels, as well as their extraction, contribute to air pollution and can cause severe damage to our health and the environment. Responsible stewardship of our planet demands that we find new ways to minimise or eliminate those effects. That goal appears attainable, and considerable progress is already evident. Worldwide energy demand is forecast to nearly double by 2030. Much of that growth will be in developing nations, notably China and India, which between them contain more than one-third of the planet's people-creating unprecedented competition for limited conventional resources.