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Energy needs demand 'massive transformation'
SEI Research Director Måns Nilsson and SEI U.S. Centre Director Charlie Heaps, lead authors of the SEI report Energy for a Shared Development Agenda: Global Scenarios and Governance Implications, argue that a major transformation in society and technology is needed over the next two decades if the world is going to meet its energy needs sustainably.
If we truly believe that the poorest countries have the right to development, then we must realise that they need vastly expanded energy services: not just access to energy for basic tasks like cooking and heating, but enough energy for productive economic uses, to power industry and develop infrastructure. On top of this, the entire world needs to meet its energy needs sustainably if it is to stay within climate and resource constraints.
... we need strong leadership and a shared commitment to meet these goals. We need effective policies and actions to force large-scale transformations of socio-technical systems on both the supply and demand side. [...] World leaders can take important first steps at Rio+20. And in the coming decade, all governments must show the necessary commitment to set the agenda, shape public opinion and stake out a vision of where society is headed.
Note: This article was cross-posted on SustainableEU.
Source: Public Service Europe, UK
Language: English
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