New York (November 19, 2007)- According to a study commissioned by the United Nations Foundation, leading industrial nations- the G8 and Plus 5 countries in particular- could avert the most serious climate effects by reducing carbon levels, simply by cutting wasted energy.
The report- Realizing the Potential of Energy Efficiency: Targets, Policies, and Measures for G8 Counties- says that the world’s most powerful nations need to double their annual rate of improvements in energy efficiency to 2.5 percent per year. If they do that, the report says, the global amount of carbon dioxide and carbon dioxide equivalents in the atmosphere could be kept below 550 parts per million (ppm).
The report finds that an investment of 3.2 trillion in energy efficiency programs, technologies and upgrades would be needed, but $ 3 trillion in new power plants could be avoided. The difference- the $200 billion- would be made up by reduced energy bills. Energy efficiency improvements would pay for themselves in 3-5 years, meaning businesses and consumers would quickly see lower energy bills.
Related Resources:
Environmental News Network
UN Foundation
Realizing the Potential of Energy Efficiency
Alliance to Save Energy