U.S. ENERGY INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION
WASHINGTON DC 20585

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 20, 1999

Comprehensive Worldwide Energy Data Confirm Slower Growth Rates
for World Energy Consumption, Production, and Carbon Emissions in 1997

Total world energy consumption grew 1.1 percent in 1997, down sharply from a 2.8-percent increase in 1996 and less than the 1.3-percent average annual growth rate for the period 1988-1997, according to comprehensive energy data released today by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) in International Energy Annual 1997.

The slower growth in 1997 compared to 1996 was largely due to actual declines in worldwide consumption of natural gas and nuclear electric power, and slower growth in the consumption of most other energy sources. The decline in natural gas consumption resulted from a 6-percent decline in gas demand in Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union, stagnant demand in North America and Western Europe, and slower growth in other regions. The decline in nuclear electric power consumption was primarily due to a 7-percent drop in combined nuclear generation from the United States and Canada. In the United States, many units were out of service for a considerable amount of time during the year for scheduled refueling, maintenance, or repair outage, and in Canada, Ontario Hydro experienced outages at aging units.

Total world energy production increased by 1.7 percent in 1997, less than the 2.7-percent increase in 1996 but greater than the 1.4-percent annual average growth rate for the period 1988-1997. Growth rates were higher in 1997 than 1996 for petroleum production and geothermal, solar, and wind electricity generation. These increases helped to offset much slower growth in the production of natural gas and coal, and the actual decline in the production of nuclear electric power.

World carbon dioxide emissions from the consumption of fossil fuels (petroleum, natural gas, and coal) grew 1.2 percent in 1997, well below the 2.8-percent increase in 1996 but greater than the 0.8 percent annual average growth rate for the period 1988-1997. Carbon dioxide emissions grew more slowly in 1997 than in 1996 because of the actual decline in consumption of natural gas and the slower growth in the consumption of coal and petroleum. The growth rate for carbon dioxide emissions lagged the growth rate in overall energy consumption over the period 1988-1997 because more rapid growth in the consumption of natural gas (a fuel that is less carbon-intensive than petroleum or coal) and nonfossil fuels (that do not emit carbon dioxide) increased their shares of total world energy consumption over the period.

Other international energy highlights for 1997 include:

• Five countries (United States, China, Russia, Japan, and Germany) consumed half of the world's energy in 1997.

• Five countries (United States, Russia, China, Saudi Arabia, and Canada) produced half of the world's energy in 1997.

• Five countries (United States, China, Russia, Japan, and India) were responsible for half of the world's carbon dioxide emissions from the consumption of fossil fuels in 1997.

• Although energy consumption growth slowed in Asia in 1997, the region had the largest absolute increase in consumption between 1988 and 1997, 33 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu). This was more than double the increase of 16 quadrillion Btu for North America, which had the second largest regional increase in consumption over the same period.

• Asia also had the largest absolute increase in energy production between 1988 and 1997, 22 quadrillion Btu. The Middle East had the second largest regional increase at 16 quadrillion Btu.

• Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union was the only region where energy production and consumption were lower in 1997 than in 1988. Production decreased by 30 percent and consumption by 32 percent.

International Energy Annual 1997 is available on EIA's Internet site at: http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/iea/contents.html

Printed copies of the report will be available by the end of April from the U.S. Government Printing Office, 202/512-1800 or through EIA's National Energy Information Center, 202/586-8800.

EIA Program Contact: Louis D. DeMouy, 202/586-8994
EIA Press Contact: National Energy Information Center, 202/586-8800, infoctr@eia.doe.gov

EIA-99-10

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