Mar
2021
coal was the rise and will be the downfall – issue brief intro
*just a head’s up- I shifted my topic to the detrimental effects of coal and the importance of moving towards renewables (especially regarding electricity), it’s aimed towards people working in large-scale electricity corporations*
Fossil fuels have long dominated the international electricity sector. Coal, crude oil, and natural gas brought rapid growth to various industries; they’ve built and continued to carry today’s economy. For this exact reason, it has become increasingly difficult to truly shift to a renewable-based electricity and energy sector: the world relies on fossil fuels for far more than energy production. But this continued reliance has put the environment in obvious peril. Coal is the primary source for global electricity generation, accounting for nearly 37 percent and generating 20 percent in the United States, in 2019. But in the US, while coal might not be the leading electricity source (and the US dependence is slowly declining), it is the leading source of carbon emissions, accounting for nearly 80 percent of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. Coal might be a strong contributor to economic growth, but renewables have the ability to continue that trajectory without contributing to negative environmental change, but unless the demand for coal continues to decrease at a more rapid pace, the environmental damages are only going to increase. The decrease in demand is possible, looking at the graph below, it is easy to see that renewables are contributing to electricity generation more each year, the trend is increasingly positive, but the question is, is it moving quickly enough? Hydro, wind, and solar power have the ability to be the dominant force in electricity generation. Though fossil fuels cannot be removed from energy generation completely in the short run, lowering demand for one sector can begin the process. As technology advances, renewable energy sources in the electricity sector are becoming cheaper and more available, paving the way for fossil fuels to be slowly phased out.
3 Comments on coal was the rise and will be the downfall – issue brief intro
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Maryn McConkey
March 30, 2021 at 5:03 pm (4 years ago)I really like your title as it gives the reader an idea of what you will be discussing but is also creative. You’ve definitely addressed the exigence for this issue and the fact that without the movement to renewable energy climate change cannot be slowed. I had a bit of difficulty figuring out which sentence exactly was your thesis but the clump of them that provide a thesis all together make sense, I would just maybe try to combine them. Otherwise looks great!
Arthur Laban
March 30, 2021 at 7:09 pm (4 years ago)I like the way your title is dramatic it really pulls me in. I think there is a lot of information on this area and it is possible to make a really great issue brief. I do think it would be helpful to narrow in on a thesis more. Your stance is clear but it can be hard to read through. I would connect it more towards people in the area if possible.
mjm8703
March 31, 2021 at 2:33 am (4 years ago)I like your title, it addresses the issue that need to be dealt with: pollution and emissions created by coal. I think the intro does a good job of addressing the issue at hand and providing a solution on how to deal with it. The exigence addressed is the pollution from coal emissions. A current event example could be a nice addition. Your thesis is strong and addresses each topic that will be covered.