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Issue: Pressures created by human settlements on the environment - Energy use

This is an issue under the Human settlements theme of the Data Reporting System.

Why we need to know about this issue

Human settlements exert pressure on the environment by extracting resources from it and by generating wastes and emissions. As population grows and human settlements expand the demands for resources as well as the amount of wastes generated increase. The form and pattern of a settlement also influence its environmental performance and thereby determine the amount of pressure exerted by the settlement on the environment.

Extraction of energy places pressure on the environment and is more significant in terms of the potential climatic impact of the greenhouse gases produced in the use of energy by human settlements

Indicators

• HS-31 National energy use 
  Energy use is essential to the functioning of human settlements; human settlements cannot prosper without using energy. However, generation and use of energy have some negative consequences for the environment. Energy consumption is a measure of the production effectiveness of the human settlement.
• HS-33 Energy use by sector 
  The amount of energy consumed by different sectors within human settlements varies. The tracking of trends in energy consumption within different sectors will assist in implementing energy efficiencies.
• HS-34 Energy use in transport 
  The transport sector is the second largest sector in terms of energy consumption in Australia. This indicator tracks changes in energy use by this sector.
• HS-36 Percent of energy derived from renewable sources 
  The majority of energy used by human settlements is derived from non-renewable sources. As the stock levels of non-renewable energy resources decrease, thus increasing the cost per unit energy, the use of renewable energy sources becomes more important.
• HS-37 Energy use per capita and per unit of GDP 
  Energy use per capita and per unit GDP show the intensity of energy use across the population.
• LD-11 Total energy value of land-based energy fuels from non-living sources produced in Australia 
  A substantial proportion of the energy used, and consequential pressure on the environment, in human settlements in Australia derives from terrestrial sources, primarily coal mining but also gas, firewood and other biofuels.
• CO-10 Total energy production from the Australian marine environment 
  A substantial proportion of the energy used, and consequential pressure on the environment, in human settlements in Australia derives from coastal and marine fossil fuel sources, primarily petroleum and gas.

Related issues

• Atmosphere - Climate variability and change- Weather 
• Atmosphere - Climate variability and change- Greenhouse 
• Inland Waters - Catchment scale influences- Influence of climate variability and change 
• Biodiversity - Pressures on biodiversity- Climate variability 
• Coasts and Oceans - Condition of the ocean and coastal waters- Climatic and carbon dioxide factors 
• Coasts and Oceans - Contributions and pressures between the coasts and oceans and the atmosphere- Climate and carbon dioxide 
• Australian Antarctic Territory - Environment- Atmosphere, climate and oceans