Rising to the CO₂ challenge

February 12, 2009

How can we produce and use the energy needed to fuel economic growth while also managing the risks associated with emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and other greenhouse gases?

We shouldn’t underestimate the scale of the challenge. Even with dramatic gains in efficiency, rising demand for energy — particularly in developing countries — will continue to push global CO₂ emissions higher through 2030.

And developing and broadly implementing the new technologies needed to reduce global CO₂ emissions will take decades, not years.

But we know what works: fundamental shifts toward energy-efficient technologies and practices across the economy, and the more prominent use of fuels with lower carbon intensity — such as natural gas, nuclear energy and renewable fuels — within the overall energy mix.

These actions already are making headway in many countries, including the United States.

U.S. emissions of energy-related CO₂ are reaching a plateau and are expected to begin declining soon. By 2030, U.S. CO₂ emissions are expected to be about 15 percent lower than in 2005.

These trends will need to continue and hopefully accelerate, not only in the United States but in all countries — including those where energy demand is increasing as growing populations strive for higher standards of living. For example, by 2030, China's CO₂ emissions will be comparable to those of the United States and Europe combined.

Reducing greenhouse gases — while also fostering economic growth — is an enormous global challenge. By pursuing an integrated set of solutions that includes developing new supplies, increasing efficiency and advancing energy technologies, we can rise to that challenge.