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the cost of delivery are necessary for attracting investment in a secure and reliable
energy supply.
Addressing energy security is one of the major objectives
in the sustainable
development criteria of many countries. Interruptions of energy supply can cause
serious financial and economic losses. To support the goals of sustainable
development, energy must be available at all times, in sufficient quantities and at
affordable prices. Secure energy supplies are essential to maintaining economic
activity and to providing reliable energy services to society. The monitoring of trends
of net energy imports and the availability of appropriate stocks of critical fuels are
important for assessing energy security.
3.2.3 Environmental Dimension
The production, distribution and use of energy create pressures
on the environment in
the household, workplace and city, and at the national, regional and global levels. The
environmental impacts can depend greatly on how energy is produced and used, the
fuel mix, the structure of the energy systems and related energy regulatory actions and
pricing structures. Gaseous emissions from the burning of fossil fuels pollute the
atmosphere. Large hydropower dams cause silting. Both the coal and nuclear fuel
cycles emit some radiation and generate waste. Wind turbines can spoil pristine
countryside. And gathering firewood can lead to deforestation and desertification.
The Environmental indicators are divided into three themes: Atmosphere,
Water and
Land.
The sub-themes on the Atmosphere are Climate Change and Air Quality. Priority
issues include acidification, the formation of tropospheric ozone and emissions of
other pollutants affecting urban air quality. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are
central to the debate on whether humankind is changing the climate for the worse. Air
pollutants of major concern include sulphur oxides, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide
and particulates (the last two being particularly important for indoor air pollution).
These pollutants can damage human health, leading to respiratory problems, cancer,
etc.
Water and land quality are other important sub-themes
of the environmental
dimension. Land is more than just physical space and surface topography; it is in itself
an important natural resource, consisting of soil and water, essential for growing food
and providing habitat for diverse plant and animal communities. Energy activities
may result in land degradation and acidification that affect the quality of water and
agricultural productivity. The use of wood as (non-commercial) fuel may result in
deforestation, which in some countries has led to erosion and soil loss. Some countries
have long histories of steady deforestation. Although environmental
legislation is now
in place in many countries to avoid further land degradation, the damage still affects
significant areas.
Land is also affected by energy transformation processes that often produce solid
wastes, including radioactive wastes, which require adequate disposal. Water quality
is affected by the discharge of contaminants in liquid effluents from energy systems,
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