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Developing countries like China have an opportunity to embrace the clean energy revolution.
Enlarge imageWe don't need to freeze in the dark. We don't need to build nuclear power plants. We don't need to cripple economic growth. We can make a safe and sustainable world energy scenario a reality.
What's in the Energy [R]evolution report:
We can have reliable renewable energy and use energy more smartly to
achieve the cuts in carbon emissions required to prevent dangerous
climate change. Crucially, this can be done while phasing out damaging
and dangerous coal and nuclear energy.
Sven Teske, our energy expert who took a leading role in producing the report, says, "Renewable energies are competitive if governments phase out subsidies for fossil and nuclear fuels and introduce the 'polluter-pays principle'. We urge politicians to ban those subsidies by 2010.""Future solutions would lie in the use of existing renewable energy technologies, greater efforts at energy efficiency and the dissemination of decentralised energy technologies and options."
Dr RK Pachauri, chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), in his foreword to the Energy [R]evolution report.
The Energy [R]evolution report also details how large developing countries like India, China
and Brazil can develop and grow using renewable energy to avoid the
mistakes of old climate-changing energy economies of developed
countries.
The Energy Revolution is not just our vision for the future. It was
written with the European Renewable Energy Council (EREC) and in
conjunction with specialists from the German Space Agency and more than
30 scientists and engineers from universities, institutes and the
renewable energy industry around the world.
Download the Energy [R]evolution report
Revolution in energy policy
It is clear that current 'business as usual' approach to energy supply cannot continue. However the longer we delay making significant change, the tougher those changes will need to be. In the next three years, major energy investment will be made in countries around the world. We have the opportunity to say farewell to old, polluting energy sources and to welcome in a new, more efficient and conflict-free energy future.
Catherine Fitzpatrick, Greenpeace energy campaigner, says, "The only obstacle to Australia being fully powered by clean green energy is the lack of political will. We have a renewable energy industry waiting to compete fairly against a heavily subsidised coal industry. As new environment minister, it's Malcolm Turnbull's challenge to implement such a blueprint to tackle the drought and bushfires caused by climate change."
Politicians need to grasp this chance with both hands or be the ones whose negligence helped ensure dangerous climate change to be inevitable. You can help ensure a change by voting for politicians who support the Energy [R]evolution.
Evolution in energy use
Governments and industry need to drive a massive change in the way energy is produced.
Download the Switched On Guide to using your voting power
We individuals also have to drive a massive change in the way we use energy. Using energy smartly can double energy efficiency by 2050. With a few simple steps, every one of us can do our bit.
