XXII. In this moment, the developed countries — I point to them, because these countries have already burnt massive amounts of carbon dioxide for energy to build their economies — are faced with a real energy conundrum. On the one hand, developed countries are battered because of a fast-heating planet; temperatures have gone through the roof; droughts and extreme weather events are hitting them as well. On the other hand, ordinary people in these countries are worried, not just because of climate change but because of the lack of energy to heat their homes this coming winter. In the US, gas prices went up in summer, so much so that people travelled less and consumption of fuel dropped. But now prices are down and it is business as usual.
The fact is that this energy disruption has provided the much-needed vault to the beleaguered fossil fuel industry. Governments are asking this industry to supply more. Europe has baptised natural gas, a fossil fuel less polluting than coal but still a major emitter of carbon dioxide, as “clean”. The US has passed a climate bill, which will invest in renewable energy but conditional to increased spends on oil and gas and the opening up of millions of hectares of federal land for drilling. Through this bill the US will do more than ever before to build a manufacturing base for renewable energy, particularly solar. Europe, even in this desperate scramble for gas, is working to ramp up its investment in renewable power. So, it is the worst of times. It could be the best of times, but there are some caveats. One, this renewed interest in fossil fuels must remain temporary and transient. Given the nature of economies, once the investment has been made in this new infrastructure or the supply of fossil fuel has increased from new oil and gas discoveries, it will be difficult to wean off. Two, these countries should not be entitled to more use of fossil fuels in our world of shrunk carbon budgets. They need to reduce emissions drastically and leave whatever little carbon budget space that is remaining to poorer countries to use, thereby satisfying such poorer countries’ demands. [Extracted, with edits and revisions, from “New energy conundrum”, by Sunita Narain, DownToEarth]
If the information in the passage above is correct, which of the following must necessarily be true?
Correct Answer :
The fossil fuel industry in developing countries will see an increase in business, at least in the short term.
The fossil fuel industry in developing countries will see an increase in business, at least in the short term.
Solution :
Correct Answer: The fossil fuel industry in developing countries will see an increase in business, at least in the short term.
Step-by-Step Explanation and Analysis:
1. Understanding the Core Information in the Passage:
The passage addresses the energy conundrum faced by developed countries. Key points include:
• Developed countries are experiencing extreme weather events due to climate change while simultaneously facing a shortage of energy to meet basic needs.
• This energy disruption has boosted the fossil fuel industry, as governments are actively requesting more fossil fuel supply.
• Europe is categorizing natural gas as "clean" and scrambling for more gas supplies.
• The US climate bill involves increased spending on oil and gas and opening up federal land for drilling.
• The author highlights that governments are encouraging the fossil fuel industry to supply more to handle immediate short-term energy needs.
2. Evaluating the Options:
• Option 1: "The fossil fuel industry in developing countries will face reduced sales in the short term, with increased sales in the long term."
This contradicts the text, which shows that demand and support for fossil fuels are currently increasing in the short term.
• Option 2: "The cost of making, installing, and using solar panels will reduce substantially in the coming years."
While the passage mentions investments in solar manufacturing in the US, it does not state or guarantee a specific substantial reduction in costs.
• Option 3: "Passing a bill in the US is a huge effort, and it would not have been possible to pass the new climate bill unless the current energy crisis had compelled lawmakers to do so."
This assumption goes beyond the facts explicitly stated in the passage regarding the legislative process in the US.
• Option 4 (Correct Option): "The fossil fuel industry in developing countries will see an increase in business, at least in the short term."
The passage directly mentions that governments are asking the fossil fuel industry to supply more energy immediately to overcome the disruption. Thus, the fossil fuel industry experiences an immediate (short-term) surge in business demand.
Conclusion:
Based strictly on the statements in the excerpt, the fossil fuel industry sees a renewed boost and increased business demand in the short term to cover immediate energy needs.
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