Research shows that a safe future below 1.5°C requires the world to cut 30 gigatonnes greenhouse gas emissions annually by 2030. Carbon emissions need to be cut by building smart cities and managing land and resources more efficiently. Transport and buildings are among the largest contributors.
"This improvement in energy efficiency will also reduce electricity bills for companies and support the scale-up of renewable energy," he added.Energy efficiency can take many forms, with U4E focusing on lighting, refrigeration, air conditioning, distribution transformers and electric motors. "Half of the near-term reductions in emissions in the energy sector can be achieved through energy efficiency, for example, by using more energy-efficient appliances and lighting and more efficient motors," said Miriam Hinostroza, Head of the Global Climate Action Unit, at UNEP's Energy and Climate Branch.Companies have found that energy efficiency is a double win, it's good for their bottom line but it's also good for the environment.
This transition would also reduce CO2 emissions by 4.7 million tonnes a year. The transformers also have the added benefit of being more stable, reducing outages and increasing energy security. "In developing countries, energy efficiency also contributes to increasing the availability and access to electrical energy, contributing to key UN Sustainable Development Goals," added Melles.