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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Introduction: Energy, Policy and the Environment: Modeling Sustainable Development for the North

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Climate change is unequivocal (IPCC 2007) and it has brought questions of energy and the environment to the forefront. It is unclear to what extent the traditional environmental concern and environmental policy suffice in addressing issues such as climate change while global greenhouse gases continue to increase at a steady rate, as does the depletion of fossil fuels. Ensuring the availability of energy is the key to maintaining current levels of well-being in societies and growth in the global economy. Given that production and utilization of energy and the environment are inherently interlinked, energy policies and changes in economic structures, which focus on alternative modes of energy production, sustainability, innovation, safety and cost efficiency, are crucial in putting into action global climate and energy policy as well as economic policy. Similarly, crucial tasks in environmental policy are the sustainable utilization of natural resources and the conservation of natural and human-made habitats. As the limits of fossil fuel-based growth become more apparent, new configurations are expected to appear in the public and private domains that prioritize concerns over energy and environment alike.