Energy efficiency with case studies

At the 2008 summit in Hokkaido Toyako, Japan, and again in 2009 in L’Aquila, Italy, G-8 leaders called for a 50 percent reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions below 2050 to avoid the most serious consequences of climate change. Meeting this goal requires transforming the way energy is produced, delivered, and consumed across all sectors of the economy and regions of the world.

According to the International Energy Agency,(IEA) investments of $26 trillion will be required on the supply-side for projects related to energy access, to diversify energy supplies, modernize infrastructure, and promote greater efficiency, between now and 2030. If we are to see this “energy revolution” it is vital to address the question of secure and pertinent investment in energy supply as well as on the demand side in developing, emerging and developed economies. This will be instrumental in a move towards a future low-carbon economy.

This is especially important in light of the global economic crisis which has underscored the urgency of sustainable development, emphasizing a mutually reinforcing balance of economic, social and environmental progress. Moreover, the crisis highlights the need to work efficiently and cooperatively to develop the policy and financial drivers needed to delink environmental impacts from economic growth and provide energy access.