Energy and civilization: A history of energy production and consumption in a global cultural, technological and economic context

The value in identifying current trends and viewing them in a historical light is that the results can be used to inform ongoing policy and investment decisions. This paper highlights historic and current patterns in human population, energy use, and culture, with technological development as both a facilitating and resultant factor. It is shown that there is a positive relationship between national energy consumption per capita and two human well-being indicators. It is also shown that, although many of the trends of the past such as increasing energy productivity in all economic sectors and increasing aggregate energy consumption are still in effect on a global basis, others, such as United States energy consumption, are beginning to shift.