As our population grows so does our demand for energy, with the U.S International Energy Agency predicting that global energy consumption will increase 48% by 2040.
The likes of China and the US are often cited as the world’s main energy guzzling culprits, but in an increasingly globalised world, it seems unfair to just blame the biggest countries for our dwindling resources. Instead we should look at how we can reduce our consumption as individuals, with a focus on per capita use.
International Energy Agency data has been used to create a new interactive map which shows the world’s energy consumption and production levels per capita, and some of the results may surprise you.
The top 10 energy gluttons measured in MWh/per capita are:
-
Trinidad and Tobago, 117.75
-
Iceland, 100.19
-
Qatar, 91.86
-
Luxembourg, 72.89
-
United Arab Emirates, 67.54
-
Canada, 62.75
-
Oman, 56.57
-
United States, 55.09
-
Saudi Arabia, 53.48
-
Bahrain, 53.32
Instead of the usual suspects topping the table Trinidad and Tobago, Iceland, Qatar and Luxembourg take the top four spots. The US still features in the top ten in eighth place, however Oman, Canada and the UAE all have higher energy usage per person. China doesn’t even make the top twenty.
The map doesn’t only show who’s consuming the most, you can also flip a switch to see which countries are supplying the most energy per capita.
The top 10 energy producing countries are:
-
Qatar, 1037.19
-
Kuwait, 495.96
-
Norway, 466.47
-
Brunei, 448.72
-
Trinidad and Tobago, 321.51
-
United Arab Emirates, 291.73
-
Saudi Arabia, 2239.04
-
Oman, 214.72
-
Bahrain, 193.20
-
Australia, 186.42
Qatar, after featuring third in the highest consumption ratings, produces more than it consumes by topping the highest production list. Followed by Kuwait, Norway, Brunei and the highest consumer Trinidad and Tobago.
So, when it comes to saving our planet it’s easy to feel powerless. I mean surely recycling a bottle, installing a smart thermostat or switching the washing machine to 30C won’t make much difference right?! Wrong!
Looking at energy use per person not only gives us a clearer view of who’s using how much, but also helps bring the responsibly back to us as individuals. After all, we all have a responsibility and we all have the power to make things better.
