Countries Attitude towards Climate Change and Clean Energy

Renewable energy is energy derived from the sun, wind, water or plants that is more sustainable and inexpensive. Harnessing energy from fossil fuels has contributed to global warming and pollution and has put nature and her inhabitants at risk. Cleaner energy sources are therefore the panacea to the environmental issue of climate change. Burkart (2017) reports that scientists from Stanford university proved that surviving on 100% clean renewable energy is feasible and practically attainable. This paper will compare the various steps taken by Norway and Russia towards achieving clean renewable energy. Kalkounos (2017) states that renewable energy provides economic benefits in a country by creating new employment. In 2016 the wind power energy sector was reported to have created over 100,000 jobs. Moreover, clean energy addresses the problem of energy loss by providing efficient and effective energy solutions (Kalkounos, 2017).

In a bid to address climate change and greenhouse effects, Norway has become the leading global industrialized country that is fully embracing clean energy innovation. Norway has committed itself to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by pursuing alternative forms of energy. Companies such as Statoil and Olsen renewables are making tremendous contribution to the clean energy sector through feasible investments. It has constructed a national framework to improve wind power systems location. Many solar power companies have been set up in the country to develop power plants around the nation. These companies include; REC Silicon, Norsun and Scatec solar. Due to the presence of forests that make up 47% of the land in the country, biomass energy production is now possible in the country.

This trade-off ensures that both countries have continuous energy use when one form of energy is on low. The country’s efforts are positively rubbing on the citizens. Citizens are now opting for green energy cars. As the capacity for renewable energy and its consumption increases, the government’s budget allocation continues to grow year in year out. One way the government has invested its resources is through Enova. Another reason that inhibits Russia’s potential is limited government incentives to pursue alternative sources of energy. The country also has huge fossil fuel sources (Gati, 2008). When compared to Norway, there is very little interest generated for renewable knowledge and limited resources allocated towards the development of this sector. As the public debate on global warming and pollution continues around the world, Russia still remains unaffected by the commitments made my major industrialized countries towards making clean energy contributions.

Russia seems more preoccupied with short-term economic goals that solving environmental issues in the long-run. Russia maintains limited use of hydropower energy, with reports of 20% when compared to Norway which reports 90-1005 use of hydropower energy for domestic use. However, despite the state’s laxity in exploring this sector, countries such as Norway and Japan have expressed interest in developing hydropower plants in some areas of the country. Some Russian companies are also following this trend by making investments in hydrogen-fueled projects that are either wind or solar powered (Gati, 2008). Even though investors acknowledge the increasing appetite for renewable energy, the link between fossil fuels and the state is too strong to guarantee a significant increase in clean energy use in the near future since most of the gas and oil companies are owned by the state (Foy, 2017).

With increasing global pressure, the energy ministry in Russia supported an international renewable agency report that will see the increase of renewable energy use to 11. The country has invested a lot of resources in hydropower energy, solar and wind power as it continues its efforts towards zero carbon emissions. Norway has made considerable steps to promote renewable energy for domestic use by setting goals to eliminate cars that run on fossil fuels and encourage the use of electric cars. The Nordic country has also partnered with other European countries to ensure they increase their renewable energy production and use. Russia on the on the hand until recently has been hesitant about the use of renewable energy in the country with a reported 3.