Fast forward to 2050.
The world’s population has grown to 9 billion.
That’s 2 billion more people added to the planet over the last 40 years.
In addition, millions of people are enjoying a better standard of living.
So energy demand has shot up, doubling our current rate.
At the same time, scientists believe that CO2 emissions will need to be halved to avoid serious climate change.
What’s shaping that future?
Millions of people across the developing world are improving their quality of life.
They are buying their first fridge, computer or car.
If we all continue to use energy the way we do today,
energy demand by 2050 could rise by even more – perhaps as much as three times the current rates.
Shell’s scenario planners think a big gap between energy supply and demand could emerge.
That gap will have to be closed - either by demand being forced down or supply being ramped up. Or some mix of both.
But just how that will happen is uncertain. So, the world will face a zone of uncertainty.
We will have to draw on many different sources of energy to meet our needs.
By 2050, a third of the global energy mix could come from renewables.
Fossil fuels and nuclear power are likely to make up the rest.
The future will also call for greater energy efficiency and more lower CO2 options.
How is Shell responding?
The challenge is a big one, which the world will have to tackle together.
At Shell, we are working with partners to deliver more energy,
investing heavily over the next few years to develop new sources of oil and gas.
We are producing more natural gas,
which represents cleaner energy as it emits up to 70% less carbon dioxide than coal in power plants.
We are developing smarter energy through products and services that help our customers get the most out of the energy they use,
boosting efficiency and cutting their CO2 emissions.
Innovation from Shell...
Helping meet the world’s growing energy needs in a responsible way.