"There is no one silver bullet to stop dangerous climate change, but energy efficiency is the largest and most affordable solution available to avert the current crisis": said Hans Verolme, Director of WWF's Global Climate Change Programme.

An average potential for energy efficiency improvement for fossil-fired power producers is estimated at the level of 25% and for transport at the level of approximately 40%. These two figures do not include energy efficiency improvement potential for CHP (Combined Heat and Power), because if additional CHP is implemented the energy efficiency improvement potential for heating in buildings and industries will be lower.

Sectoral efficiency potential - Source WWF / Ecofys

The report estimates that G8+5 countries can even exceed the proposed 20% energy efficiency improvement by 2020 in transport, building and power sector. In transport sector reduction potential ranges from 25% to 50%, in building sector from 30-45% and in power sector from 4% to 45%. In the last case the biggest improvements can be made by China, India and Russia.

“Present energy efficiency policies are ineffective,” WWF says in its press release.  In stead, the report comes up with new proposals to introduce performance based standards for new and existing buildings; minimum efficiency standards for household appliances; minimum efficiency standards for new passenger and freight vehicles and setting clear caps on greenhouse emissions to put pressure on the power sector to speed up efficiency savings.

The new standards and labels should be regularly updated and they should preferably be coupled to financial instruments such as subsidies, bonuses and penalties to make sure they are complied with by the industry.

More information:

WWF press release ‘G8 should promote energy efficiency’

Download the report  Making Energy Efficiency Happen: From Potential to Reality (pdf, 802 kB)