LEDs represent as much of a step change as the move from candles to lamps in the 19th century, believes The Clean Revolution, a new initiative that aims to create a tipping point for change by inspiring government and business leaders.
The initiative from The Climate Group, an independent, not-for-profit organisation, calls for a swift, massive scale-up of clean technology, green infrastructure, smart design and resource-efficient behaviour in partnership with a number of international statesmen and governments, business leaders and corporations.
It was launched at the recent Rio+20 Earth Summit in Brazil where former UK prime minister Tony Blair gave his support by delivering a speech warning that those who failed to seize the moment would be left behind in the new global economy.
It is also supported by the state government of Victoria, NSW and Queensland as well as the City of Sydney.
The Clean Revolution is pushing the take-up of LEDs and reveals that lighting accounts for 20 per cent of the world’s energy consumption. It says that the 6 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions attributed to lighting is equivalent to 70 per cent of the emissions from the world’s passenger vehicles.
LEDs can achieve between 50 and 70 per cent of energy savings and reach up to 80 per cent savings when coupled with smart controls.
Furthermore, LED penetration into the general lighting market is expected to rise from 7 per cent today to 64 per cent by the year 2020.
If an average of just 40 per cent energy savings were unlocked by LEDs across the world, it would save $129 billion in electricity cost and 670 tonnes of CO2, the emissions released by 642 coal power plants, says The Clean Revolution.
It believes that if LEDs reach their full potential, they could almost single handedly eliminate lighting as a major source of global emissions.
Overall, The Clean Revolution hopes to create a tipping point for change, by inspiring government and business leaders to act decisively.
The Climate Group chief executive officer Mark Kenber said: “The challenge that The Clean Revolution puts forward is that by 2050, there will be nine billion people on earth and in the next 20 years, the world’s middle class will grow from less than 2 billion to over 4 billion. This growth will be coupled with enormous demand for resources, according to the initiative.
“At the same time, emissions need to be reduced by around 80 per cent of today’s levels to avoid the social, environmental and economic impacts of climate change before mid-century.
“Over the next three years, we will showcase successful examples of low carbon transformation from the city, state, region and business leaders around the world who are already working to scale up clean energy, increase energy efficiency and cut emissions.”
The Climate Group has connected the world’s most influential business and government leaders to take action on the climate agenda since 2004.
