Energy plays a pivotal role to boost a country's human development index

(HDI).1 With the growth of energy needs, energy law becomes a more important tool
to administer energy usage, regulation, and conservation. How energy is produced,
dispersed and utilized has an impact on the local, provincial and global environment
with major ramifications towards the livelihood plan and human development
outlooks of the impoverished.

Access to modern energy services is critical for meeting basic social needs,
propelling wealth creation and fueling human advancement. Across the globe, the
underprivileged would bear the brunt of climate change impacts from higher utility
bills and elevated exposure to natural disasters.2 For developed countries, reliable and
affordable energy allows the existence of products and services which enhances and
prolongs life, whereas the need for reliable and affordable energy is even more vital in
developing countries. Reliable energy supports augmented industry, advanced
agriculture, capital flow, and refined transport in these countries, enabling the
poverty-stricken to move away from poverty to further better their quality of lives.3

Findings from a journal verify the positive association between non-renewable

energy sources with economic development and greenhouse gas emissions.
Non-renewable resources of the Earth must be used in such a way as to prevent future
draining and also enjoyment of benefits by all mankind. By optimizing the wise and
rational consumption of natural resources, economic growth will flow in a more
sustainable fashion, satisfying the current necessity without jeopardizing the future
generations’ capabilities to fulfill their own future necessity. 4

With rising demand for alternative fuels, the laws regulating them must tackle
the problems and perils entailed in the creation and distribution of these forms of
energy and the technology that underpins them. Due to the fact that plenty of
environmental concerns stem from the massive use of energy causing pollution such
as air pollution and acid rain, continuous development of renewable forms of energy
is crucial towards pollution prevention. Hence, energy efficiency and energy saving
will facilitate the reduction of energy waste and greenhouse gas emissions towards
achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.5

Economic development based on the extraction of natural resources is detrimental

towards nature, poses an impact towards cultural resources, and produces negative
health implications towards affected communities. According to one study, about
1
Abid, N., Wu, J., Ahmad, F., Draz, M. U., Chandio, A. A., & Xu, H. (2020). Incorporating
Environmental Pollution and Human Development in the Energy-Growth Nexus: A Novel Long Run
Investigation for Pakistan. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17145154
2
Baskin, K. ( January 27, 2021). Why Energy Justice is a Rising Priority for Policymakers. MIT Sloan
School of Management.
https://mitsloan.mit.edu/ideas-made-to-matter/why-energy-justice-a-rising-priority-policymakers
3
The Importance of Energy. Imperial.
https://www.imperialoil.ca/en-CA/Company/About/The-importance-of-energy
4
Ibid
5
Saidi, K., & Omri, A. (2020). The Impact of Renewable Energy on Carbon Emissions and
Economic Growth in 15 Major Renewable Energy-Consuming Countries. Environmental Research.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2020.109567
538,000 wind turbine-caused bird deaths occur in the U.S. every year.6 In a separate
paper, one Benjamin Sovacool estimated the death of 14.5 million birds every year
across the U.S. due to fossil fuel power plant operations in 2009.7 Local residents
also lose their agricultural lands, fishery and hunting areas due to development
leaving little public funding left to generate new sources of revenue. By 1980, New
Mexico had reported deaths of 133 Navajo uranium miners from lung cancer or
various forms of fibrosis. A large majority of inhabitants living close to the areas of
mining or milling also suffered an impact. Other health burdens due to pollution
include pneumonia , cardiovascular disease, cataracts, stroke, heart disease and lung
cancer.8

6
Merriman, J. (January 26, 2021). How Many Birds Are Killed by Wind Turbines?. American Birds
Conservancy. https://abcbirds.org/blog21/wind-turbine-mortality/
7
We Know Fossil Fuels Are Bad for Animals, What About Wind and Solar?. In Defense of Animals.
https://www.idausa.org/campaign/wild-animals-and-habitats/green-energy-and-bird-deaths/
8
Smith, K. R., Frumkin, H., Balakrishnan K., Butler, C. D., Chafe, Z. A., Fairlie, I., Kinney, P.,
Kjellstrom, T., Mauzerall, D. L., McKone, T. E, McMichael A. J., Schneider, M. (2013). Energy and
Human Health. Annual Review of Public Health.
https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-publhealth-031912-114404