Enclosure 1

ENERGY SOURCES ALL OVER THE WORLD

We live together on this earth and we note that the energy we use to heat our homes in winter, to fuel our transport, and to allow our factories to produce the goods we need, are all produced from oil, gas, coal and uranium. There are two associated problems: first of all these resources are not unlimited, and secondly, the use of these energies causes pollution.

Energy is essential to man's development. The experts think that energy is the most important of all issues in the sustainable development programme. The power that we use today worldwide is:

- from oil : 39%

- from coal : 25%

- from natural gas : 24%

- from uranium : 6%

- hydraulic : 5%

- geothermic and solar : 1%

Our worldwide energy needs will have doubled by 2030.

The production and use of power produce carbon dioxide (Co2). This contributes

to the greenhouse effect which enables a proportion of sun-rays to be absorbed, then re-emitted, which causes the warming of the earth's surface and atmosphere.This, in turn, produces

changes in climate. The Co2 comes from:

- production of electricity : 33%

- industry : 25%

- transport : 24%

- homes and offices : 13%

- oil refineries : 5%

There have been some small-scale efforts to rise to the challenge : for example, with the notion of sustainable habitat, people are spending more and more to insulate their homes. Also the research and development of fuel cell technology which allows motor vehicles to run on hydrogen. Or the development of generators that use renewable resources such as the sun, wind, water and organic materials.

We understand that all mankind, that is to say, each and every one of us, is concerned by this twofold problem: we must produce power in sufficient quantities, and at the same time, look for new solutions which do not harm our environment.