We have the tools to beat climate change. Now we need to legislate

The author asserts that while the technology to reduce emissions exists, political will and legislation are needed to implement it at scale. Specifically, the text highlights that smart building technologies can reduce energy consumption by 30-40%, and modernizing gas turbines to efficiency levels above 63% can significantly lower fuel costs and emissions, citing Egypt as a successful example of power plant efficiency savings.

• Buildings are a primary driver of global energy demand, consuming over 40% of all generated energy, but the adoption of smart, energy-efficient technologies could lower this consumption by 30-40%.
• The author contends that voluntary action is insufficient and that governments must implement legislation to mandate the retrofitting of existing buildings and the use of smart technologies in new constructions.
• Modernizing fossil-fuel power plants by replacing old turbines with models achieving efficiency levels over 63% can reduce emissions and fuel costs, especially since many current plants operate at 40% efficiency or lower.
• Energy-efficient power plants provide a clear economic benefit; for example, the government of Egypt saves $1.3 billion in annual fuel costs through such efficiencies.

APA

Siersdorfer, D. (2019). We have the tools to beat climate change. Now we need to legislate. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/stories/climate-action/we-have-the-tools-to-beat-climate-change-now-we-need-the-right-laws/

Chicago

Siersdorfer, Dietmar. We have the tools to beat climate change. Now we need to legislate. World Economic Forum, 2019. https://www.weforum.org/stories/climate-action/we-have-the-tools-to-beat-climate-change-now-we-need-the-right-laws/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Siersdorfer |first1=Dietmar |title=We have the tools to beat climate change. Now we need to legislate |publisher=World Economic Forum |date=6 April 2019 |url=https://www.weforum.org/stories/climate-action/we-have-the-tools-to-beat-climate-change-now-we-need-the-right-laws/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{siersdorfer2019have, author = {Siersdorfer, Dietmar}, title = {{We have the tools to beat climate change. Now we need to legislate}}, publisher = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2019}, month = apr, url = {https://www.weforum.org/stories/climate-action/we-have-the-tools-to-beat-climate-change-now-we-need-the-right-laws/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }