The demand for renewable energy is expected to triple over the next decades according to U.N.E.P.’s Year Book 2011.

United Nations Environment Program’s 2011 Year Book predicts this year to be the first where low-carbon energy capacity exceeds that of fossil-fuel.

Experts predicted that the world as a whole, by 2011, will add more capacity to the electricity supply from renewable energy than other sources. Further, the demand for renewable energy is expected to triple over the next decades, with an estimated increase of one-fifth to one-third in terms of electricity supply.

The Year Book cited International Energy Agency projections that the share of renewable energy in global electricity generation will increase from 19 percent in 2008 to 32 percent in 2035. It is illustrated that by 2035, the European Union would have generated renewable electricity equivalent to 390 million tons worth of oil equivalent, United States producing 380 million tons, and China on third, creating 360 million tons.

Investments also play a crucial role environmentally. The Year Book suggested that in order to prevent a 2-degree Celsius increase in global temperature, investments of more than $2 trillion a year from 2010 to 2030 are needed.

The U.N.E.P.’s Year Book is an annual publication which examines global emerging issues and the latest environmental developments and trends.

The Year Book based its prediction on the trend which started in 2009 wherein the global investment in sustainable energy reached $162 billion. That amount translates to an estimated 50 gigawatts of renewable energy generation capacity and 28 GW of large hydroelectric capacity.

The trend is also supported by the fact that there is a shift towards sustainable energy such as accelerating energy efficiency, public investment in low-carbon technology research, and further development of hybrid and fully electric vehicles by leading companies.

Aside from providing an update on renewable energy trends, the Year Book also focused on other emerging environmental issues. Two issues which the 2011 Year book voiced concern about are the impacts of phosphorus and its availability and the concern over the impact of plastics on marine wildlife.

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