The appetite for oil and other energy sources is growing dramatically, with worldwide energy consumption projected to rise by about 45 percent by 2030.

In the industrialized world, people are driving their cars more each year and living in bigger houses that are equipped with an increasing array of energy-demanding appliances, computers and other conveniences. The growing demand is fueled by a burgeoning population that will increase 25 percent in the next 20 years, with most of that growth in countries with emerging economies, such as China and India.

Rising energy demand from economic output and improved standards of living will put added pressure on energy supplies. For example, in China alone, increasingly prosperous citizens are projected to purchase more than 100 million new vehicles before 2030.

The oil consuming nations and oil producing nations need sound energy policies that accommodate a wide array of political, economic and environmental concerns. No country is energy independent. We live in a world of energy interdependence.