近代以来美国的能源消费与大气污染问题——历史分析与现实启示

Energy Consumption and Air Pollution in the United States since Modern Times: Long term Quantitative Analysis

近代以来,能源消费之于环境变迁的影响愈发直接而深刻,持续重塑着环境问题的形成途径和表现形式,影响着环境污染的程度和解决方式。通过对美国最近两百余年的能源消费和大气污染问题进行深入考察,发现能源结构的转型导致大气污染物类型出现新变化;能源服务的普及和消费规模的增大致使大气污染的地理范围扩大;能源效率的高低很大程度上决定着大气污染程度的演化。梳理和分析近代以来美国能源消费与大气污染问题间蕴含的一般性关系,不但有助于从学理层面探讨能源史和环境史研究的契合路径,而且对于从实践层面妥善解决当前中国的大气污染问题,也具有重要启示意义。

Since modern times, the impact of energy consumption on environmental change has become more and more direct and profound. It has continuously reshaped the way of formation and manifestation of environmental problems, and influenced the degree of pollution and the way to solve environmental problems. Through in-depth study of United States’ energy consumption and air pollution in the last 200 years, it is found that the change of energy structure has led to new changes in air pollutant types;the popularization of energy services and the increase of consumption scale have led to the expansion of the geographical scope of air pollution;and the energy efficiency has greatly affected the degree of air pollution. Combing and analyzing the general relationship between modern United States’ energy consumption and environmental issues, not only can help to explore the path of energy history and environmental history research from the academic level, but also is conductive to properly solve the current air pollution problem in China from the practical level.