# Section 2 Global Warming and People’s Daily Lives in the World

Our daily lives, which consume fossil fuel that causes global warming, exert an impact on the global environment. In order to build a low carbon society, we must give up our energy-intensive way of living and adopt a lifestyle that cherishes energy resources.

## 1 Residential Energy Consumption in the World

Energy is the foundation of socio-economic activities in every country and it is indispensable in people’s daily lives. To mitigate global warming, we need to limit carbon dioxide emissions from energy consumption. In comparing the per-capita carbon dioxide emissions in 2005 of the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Japan, the United States had double the emissions of Japan, especially in the transportation sector, which accounted for 31% of the total emissions. This percentage was extremely high, compared to 25% in the United Kingdom, 21% in Japan, and 20% in Germany. The industrial sector in Japan accounted for a high percentage of 36%, compared to 30% in Germany, 25% in the United Kingdom, and 21% in the United States. On the other hand, the residential sector was low (14%) in Japan, compared with 32% in Germany, 32% in the United Kingdom, and 23% in the United States (Figure 2-2-1).

Changes in residential energy consumption per capita and per household (Figure 2-2-2) indicate that energy

Figure 2-2-1 International Comparison of Per Capita CO $ _{2} $ Emissions (2005)

Note 1: CO₂ emissions are those allocated to final consuming sectors in proportion to the electricity and heat consumed.

2: IEA allocates emissions to the combined residential/commercial and public services sector as above. The ratio of emissions between the two sectors was estimated to be the same as those before the allocation.

Source: Compiled by the Ministry of the Environment from the data of IEA, CO $ _{2} $ Emissions from Fuel Combustion 2007

consumption in Japan, both in terms of per capita and per household, is lower than in other countries. The 2005 per-household energy consumption in Japan was 1.1 TOE (tonnage of oil equivalent), which was relatively low compared to the United Kingdom (1.7 TOE), Germany (1.6 TOE), and the United States (2.5 TOE). We can say that energy consumption per capita in the United States is equivalent to the energy consumption per household in Japan. However, the energy consumption trend in Japan is characterized by a long-term rise. It is important to put a stop to the increase and shift energy consumption to a downward trend.

Figure 2-2-2 Changes in Residential Energy Consumptions per Capita and per Household in Selected Countries

(Japan) Energy consumption per capita in residential sector

(U.S.A.) Energy consumption per capita in residential sector

(U.K.) Energy consumption per capita in residential sector

(Germany) Energy consumption per capita in residential sector

(Japan) Energy consumption per household in residential sector

(U.S.A.) Energy consumption per household in residential sector

(U.K.) Energy consumption per household in residential sector

(Germany) Energy consumption per household in residential sector

Note 1: Population data is taken from The World Bank, World Development Indicator 2007; and the number of households is taken from population census data of each country.

2: TOE = ton of oil equivalent, 1 TOE=10^{7} kcal

Source: Compiled by the Ministry of the Environment from the data of IEA, Energy Balances of OECD Countries 2007; The World Bank, World Development Indicator 2007; and others.