Distribution of energy consumption and the 2000 W/capita target

Abstract

This viewpoint discusses the intra- and international distribution of energy consumption and their implications for intergenerational equity. For global development to be sustainable, the inequality of energy consumption must have an upper limit. A graphic depiction of energy consumption distributions (intra- and international) shows that today's inequalities are large and it is argued that we may have already reached or perhaps even surpassed the sustainability limit of energy consumption inequality.