This article briefly described the efforts of leading scientists and policy makers (including Chuck Kustcher, who was a panel member on the discussion about whether a manhattan/apollo type project is necessary to solve the energy/climate problem) in compiling the Climate Change in the U.S.: Potential Carbon Emissions Reductions from Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy by 2030 report.
The report illustrates how energy efficiency measures could keep U.S. carbon emissions roughly constant over the next 23 years as the economy grows, and how renewable energy technologies could make deep cuts below today’s emissions. Wind energy provides about 35% of the renewable energy contribution, while the rest is divided about evenly among the other technologies. “Energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies can begin to be deployed on a large scale today to help save us from the worst consequences of global warming,” said Kutscher. “With continued R&D to lower costs and a reasonable level of policy support, they have the potential to meet most, if not all, of the carbon reductions that will be required in the future.”
With increasing scientific evidence showing the potential for "behavior solutions" to address climate change problems, I find it all the more important that we focus our efforts on finding ways to generate opportunities for collective action. This will come with better development of alternative sources of energy, more environmentally friendly products and packaging, and much-needed revisions of the industrial process itself. Even the experts are agreeing, the time is now, and people are the answer.
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