EMERGY
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(1) |
| ID | ◀ 1066 ▶ |
| Object type | General information |
- “The total amount of energy embodied in the creation of some thing or conditions, and bringing it into a certain place, state, and time”.
This neologism has been introduced by H.T. ODUM. (1988, 1991)
Another definition given by D.R. TILLEY, of Environmental Engineering Department of University of Florida reads: “A system property that related all flows and storage of energy , materials and information to the one form of source energy required for their formation and maintenance ”(1998, p. 178)
According to this definition, it becomes possible to use “emergy accounting as a rigorously quantitative tool for valuing and comparing the work of nature with that of humans”(Ibid)
The idea that nature is “working”and in fact leaving its products at our disposal for free is generally ignored in economics . As a result, we are plundering nature's ecosystems . without making any distinction between capital and “interest”. There is a wide misunderstanding of the need to respect self-maintenance of nature as a bedrock base for the dynamic stability of our own socio-economic systems.
The concept seems very important, because in many cases a quite significant part of the energy indirectly used up in a productive process is left out of economic evaluation.
MACHLUP and PIMENTEL have shown that many products — particularly agricultural ones — are heavily subsidized in energy terms and, finally produce a clearcut energy deficit, i. e. do not compensate the energetic investment involved. (1977).
See also
World engine