Energy, the Environment, and Justice
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Fast Facts About
Energy, the Environment, and Justice
Energy and the environment are inextricably linked. Delivery of energy services (what humans want) is the leading source of greenhouse gas emissions, and our energy resource use affects water, land, and wildlife as well. All energy resources have environmental impacts, but some, namely fossil fuels, have more impacts than others.
The negative impacts of energy resource use disproportionately affect low income communities and communities of color in the US and globally. As our population grows and energy access increases, it is important to figure out how we will deliver energy services sustainably and in a way that addresses inequities in environmental impacts.
Global Population and Energy Use
Population Growth
(1950-2021)
⬆215% increase
(2.5 billion to 7.87 billion)
Energy Consumption Growth
(1950-2021)
⬆518% increase
(28,564 tWh to 176,431 tWh)
Energy Use is the Biggest Emitter of Greenhouse Gasses
Burning a hydrocarbon leads to carbon dioxide production
CXHY + O2 → CO2 + H2O
Energy Use is the Primary Source of Air Pollution
Sulfur Oxides
Burning a hydrocarbon with contaminants:
S + O2 → SOx
>99%
from energy services
Nitrogen Oxides
More heat:
N2 + O2 → NOx
>99%
from energy services
Carbon Monoxide
Incomplete combustion:
CO2 + C → 2CO
92%
from energy services
Particulate Matter
Particles of solids or liquids that are in the air from combustion sites or due to chemical reactions in the air with other pollutants
85%
from energy services
Health Impacts of Air Pollution
Asthma, respiratory illness, cardiovascular risk, organ damage, mental health challenges
Deaths from Air Pollution*
World 🌎
7-9 million people / year
US 🇺🇲
200,000 people / year
Black people in the US are
3x
more likely to die from air pollution than other groups
*Almost all deaths are from exposure to Particulate Matter
Water Impacts from Energy Production
- Thermoelectric Power Plant Cooling: >97% of the water withdrawn is returned to its source (e.g., river, lake, ocean), but it is typically 20 ℉ hotter than when it was withdrawn, resulting in thermal pollution
- Irrigation: 38% of the water withdrawn is returned to its source
- Data is not currently available on how much of the water withdrawn is returned to its source for the other categories
Examples of Water Contamination Sources and Effects
Oil spills and coal ash → fresh water resource contamination and wildlife deaths
Fertilizer and pesticide runoff from biofuels → dead zones in the ocean
Land Impacts from Energy Production
| Resource | Life Cycle Land Requirements (m2/GWh/yr) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Large Hydro | Total: 3,000 - 25,000 Fuel production: 0 |
|
| Wind | Total: 1,000 - 3,000 Fuel production: 0 |
|
| Solar | Total: 160 - 550 Fuel production: 0 |
|
| Coal | Total: 55 - 870 Fuel production: 50 - 840 |
|
| Nuclear | Total: 120 Fuel production:
Power plant area: 45 |
|
| Natural Gas | Total: 265 Fuel production:
Power plant area: 5 |
|
Energy Justice
Energy Justice
The goal of achieving equity in both the social and economic participation in the energy system, while also remediating social, economic, and health burdens on those historically harmed by the energy system
Sustainable Development
“Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”*
*Quoted definition from Our Common Future
Examples of Environmental Injustices
Both globally and within the US, people of color and disadvantaged communities are disproportionately impacted by the negative effects of climate change and environmental infrastructure. Due to the intentional siting of highways, mining areas, and powerplants near these communities, pollution is more concentrated, temperatures are higher, and harmful waste is more present. Additionally, these communities often have reduced or no access to the energy services that infrastructure provides.
Impacts on Communities of Color
Black and Hispanic people in the US are exposed to over
1.5x
more pollution than is caused by their consumption
Impacts of Redlining*
Surface temperatures in the US are
36 ℉
hotter in areas that were previously redlined
Impacts on Native Populations
Superfund sites** have been built within 10 miles of
47%
of Native American reservations in the US, leading to excessive pollution exposure
Impacts of Global Demand for Minerals
While 69% of the world’s cobalt for renewable energy comes from the DRC, only
19%
of the population has access to electricity***
*The term “redlining” comes from maps drawn 85 years ago, partially on the basis of race, that were used by banks to discriminate and deny home loans to residents in low-income neighborhoods
** Superfund sites are locations polluted with hazardous or toxic materials. Superfund sites have been linked to adverse health effects including infant mortality, mental health, water and food-borne illness, and cancer
*** There have also been many human rights abuses, including forced eviction and physical assault, in order to expand mining sites
Drivers and Barriers to Reducing the Environmental Impacts of Energy Use
Drivers
- Negative human health and wildlife impacts from air, land, and water pollution
- Increased US government environmental regulations and clean energy policies
- Global renewable energy resource growth driven by both competitive economics and supportive policies
- Use of new technologies such as carbon capture and scrubbers help reduce pollution
- Governments are acknowledging and committing to correct environmental injustice issues (e.g., Justice40 in the US)
Barriers
- Polluting sources such as coal plants are still being constructed and used
- Entrenched interest and dependence on fossil fuels
- Continued global pushback on action taken for reducing emissions
- Reliability concerns with renewables
- Renewable energy sources have some negative environmental impacts that, although low relative to fossil fuels, must be managed
Before You Watch Our Lecture On
Energy, the Environment, and Justice
We assign videos and readings to our Stanford students as pre-work for each lecture to help contextualize the lecture content. We strongly encourage you to review the Essential videos below before watching our lecture on Energy, the Environment, and Justice. Explore the Optional and Useful screening tool based on your interest and available time.
Essential
- Beyond the Anthropocene - Johan Rockström. World Economic Forum. February 14, 2017. (21 min)
The Executive Director of the Stockholm Resilience Centre, Sweden, speaks on the necessary transformation towards global sustainability. - Finance Forum 2022 - Day 2 Plenary Keynote by Tony G. Reames (minutes 9-26 only). DOE. May 25, 2022. (17 min)
Dr. Reames, from the U.S. Department of Energy, speaks on ensuring access to energy efficiency for all.
Optional and Useful
- Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool. The Council on Environmental Quality. May 4, 2022.
Census tracts that are overburdened and underserved are highlighted as being disadvantaged on this interactive map.
Our Lecture on
Energy, the Environment, and Justice
This is our Stanford University Understand Energy course lecture on energy, the environment, and justice. We strongly encourage you to watch the full lecture to understand the environmental impacts of the energy resources we use and how those impacts have been disproportionately borne by underserved communities. For a complete learning experience, we also encourage you to watch / read the videos and readings we assign to our students before watching the lecture.
Presented by: Kirsten Stasio, Adjunct Lecturer, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University; CEO, Nevada Clean Energy Fund (NCEF)
Recorded on: October 9, 2023 Duration: 34 minutes
Additional Resources About
Energy, The Environment, and Justice
Stanford University
- Environmental Justice Working Group (EJWG)
- Earth Systems Program
- Dena Montague - Environmental justice
- Stanford Environmental Law Clinic
- Natural Capital Project
- Woods Institute for the Environment
- Precourt Institute for Energy
- Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve
- Sustainable Stanford
- Global Climate & Energy Project (GCEP)
- Mel Lane Student Grants Program
- Carnegie Science
Non-Governmental Organizations
- Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) Climate Justice
- Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) Environment, Equity, and Justice Center
- International Union for Conservation of Nature (ICUN)
- World Resources Institute (WRI) Climate Equity
- The Nature Conservancy
- Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) Environmental Justice and Embodied Carbon
- Sierra Club Environmental Justice
- Greenpeace USA Environmental Justice
- Earth Justice
- Environmental and Energy Study Institute Environmental Justice
- Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI)
- Conservation International
Fast Facts Sources
Energy Consumption Growth: Our World in Data, Energy Production and Consumption
Sources of GHG Emissions: ClimateWatch, Historical GHG Emissions
CO2 Emissions by Electricity Source: UNECE, Carbon Neutrality in the UNECE Region
Air Pollution Deaths: Our World in Data, Data Review: How many people die from air pollution?
Air Pollution Deaths, Black people in the US: PNAS, Inequity in Consumption of Goods and Services Adds to Racial–Ethnic Disparities in Air Pollution Exposure
Water Withdrawals: USGS, Summary of Estimated Water Use in the United States in 2015
Land Impacts: ScienceDirect, Land use and electricity generation: A life-cycle analysis
Surface Temperature Disparities: SEAS, Redlining and Environmental Racism
Superfund Sites on Native Land: Pollution in Indian Country, ArcGIS
DRC Production and Consumption: EnergyX, 2023, ITA, Democratic Republic of the Congo - Country Commercial Guide
DRC Human Rights Abuses for Mining: AP News, Congo Communities Forcibly Uprooted to Make Way for Mines Critical to EVs, Amnesty Report Says
More details available on request.
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