Evolution of Fuel Consumption and Emissions in Spain From the Analysis of Statistical Series

Abstract

In Spain, there is a strong dependence of the consumption of fossil fuels, especially oil, coal and natural gas. In the case of oil and its derivatives, the bulk of consumption is located in the sectors of industry and transport, with special emphasis on transport of goods by road, in a context of lack of policy measures designed to foster other energy uses, production or transport models. The situation is worrying, especially in the current scenario in which the own International Energy Agency has recognized the existence of "peak oil", with all that that implies for its implications on the society of the future, the whole economy and, in particular, energy development and its limitations. In this paper, perform a descriptive analysis of consumption and fuel prices in the period 1993-2011, with a further approach to the study of evolution. The ultimate goal is to reflect, from the perspective of ecological economics, possible guidelines to be implemented to improve the situation and assess their impact. There will be a descriptive statistical analysis to assess the significance of the data, analyzing the evolution and relationships, and a critical analysis of its environmental and economic impact.

Keywords: oil, sustainability, transport.