Developing countries like China can develop and grow using renewable energy to avoid the mistakes of old climate-changing energy economies of developed countries.
The debate about climate change is over. Solutions are needed
now. The energy [r]evolution is the road map for how to provide
power for everyone without fuelling climate change.
We 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.
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, took a leading role in producing
the report: "The Energy Revolution scenario comes as the world is
crying out for a road map for tackling the dilemma of how to
provide the power we all need, without fuelling climate change.
"Renewable energies are competitive, if government's phase-out
subsidies for fossil and nuclear fuels and introduce the
`polluter-pays principle`. We urge politicians to ban those
subsidies by 2010."
The plan 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.
Revolution in energy policy
"The stone age did not end for lack of stone, and the oil age
will end long before the world runs out of oil."
Sheikh Zaki Yamani, former Saudi oil minister.
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.
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. But we as 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.
Revolution and evolution are unforgiving forces. Nobody wants to be on the wrong side of either one. But it's time to choose: all of us are either part of the [r]evolution, or we're part of the problem. And unless all of us are part of the solution, all of us have a problem.
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