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Tuesday, February 15, 2011

40 Years To Sustainability

A Long Time and a Short Time Both


WWF Energy Report
According to a study by the WWF, the entire world could be run on sustainable renewable energy by 2050.
And that won’t just be good for energy security, it will also cut environmental pollution and, crucially, reduce the catastrophic impacts of climate change. A 100% renewable energy future would mean carbon emissions from energy dropping by over 80% worldwide by 2050.
And it is economically feasible. However, the steps needed to get there must be taken today.
"Before pouring billions into creating a new generation of nuclear or gas power stations we need to ask whether that money would be better invested in other, more sustainable energy technologies, especially if these other technologies can create a substantial number of new jobs" [WWF's Head of Energy Policy Nick] Molho said.
40 years seems like a long time, but there is a huge amount to be done and the transition from fossil fuels will be long and painful, as will the inevitable changes in everything from our purchasing habits to our infrastructure. Looking at all that would need to happen, 40 years can also seem like a very short time to accomplish so much.

The WWF is not alone in advocating for sustainability by 2050. It can be done and it will be hard, but the hardest part is overcoming the vested interests that value today's profit over humanity's future.

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