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United Nations publishes study on Buildings & Climate Change |
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Monday, 16 April 2007 |
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Up to one fifth of Europe’s entire energy consumption could be cut, just by improving energy efficiency in its 170 million buildings, according to a new United Nations study. To achieve this will require the right mix of government regulation, financial incentives, behavioural change and increased installation of energy saving measures.
 Launching the report, prepared by the United Nations Environment Programme, Achim Steiner, UN under secretary general said: “Energy efficiency is one of the pillars upon which a decarbonised world will stand or fall. A more aggressive energy efficiency policy might deliver three times the amount scheduled to be reduced under the Kyoto protocol.” According to EuroACE, the UN report concludes that in developed countries the main challenge is to achieve emissions reductions primarily in existing buildings, largely by cutting out energy waste.
In the next three years, the UN estimates that up to 45 million tonnes of carbon dioxide could be being saved each year in European buildings. Coincidentally this is the same amount that the European Commission task force on climate change concluded in 2002 that the Energy Performance of Buildings directive alone might have delivered, had it been implemented comprehensively and on time. The Commission has issued warnings to almost all of the 27 governments about their failure to do so.
The Buildings & Climate Change Report can be downloaded from www.unep.org. |
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