One target for all

The 2000-Watt Society fights climate change by focusing on the issue of energy waste and inefficient energy use. That focus has helped hundreds of cities around the world use the 2000-Watt Society model to substantially lower their carbon footprint. Here’s what they targeted with their carbon-reduction, action plans:

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CO2 AND WATTS.

Since the burning of fossil fuels is a major cause of climate change, it’s best to measure and benchmark CO2 based on non-renewable source energy. That’s why the 2000-Watt Society uses “watts” as the measuring unit. Given this perspective, one ton of CO2 per person per year equals a demand of about 500 watts of non-renewable source energy.

THE 2000-WATT SOCIETY VISION.

While the ultimate target is one ton of CO2 per person per year, or about 500 watts of non-renewable source energy, the vision of the 2000-Watt Society is to reduce energy demand for global sustainable development and provide sufficient energy for all. To achieve that goal, the aim is to lower yearly global source energy demand to 2000 watts per person with 75% renewable-energy consumption. At this level and type of energy use, greenhouse gas emissions will be limited to one ton of CO2 per person per year. Limiting non-renewable energy consumption at this level also maintains global warming at the levels agreed to in the 2016 Paris Climate Accord.

To put those goals in perspective, Americans on average currently use 12,000 watts per person and 20 tons of CO2 per person each year.

OUR CARBON-NEUTRALITY TARGET FOR ALL:

1-ton CO2 per person per year or 500 watts of non-renewable source energy

SUSTAINABLE ENERGY-FOOTPRINT TARGET FOR ALL:

2000 watts of source energy = 500 watts of non-renewable source energy + 1500 watts of renewable source energy

ONE STRATEGIC TARGET FOR ALL:

Efficiency, Sufficiency, Renewable Energy

Efficiency: There are no energy resources to waste.

When we have any need that requires energy, the question to ask ourselves is: “What is the most energy-efficient way to meet my need?” It’s this personal mind shift, getting into the habit of thinking about our energy-consumption needs in new ways, that helps our community make big strides toward reducing its collective carbon footprint.

Sufficiency: The right amount of energy for each of us. 

In 1985, Brazilian scientist José Goldenberg posed the question: “How much energy is necessary for a good life?” Goldenberg determined that below a threshold of 1000 watts per person, people are indeed better off if they can increase their energy consumption, however, consumption above 1000 watts per person does not improve quality of life. Therefore, the core concept of the 2000-Watt Society is sufficient energy consumption because consuming more would be undesirable, even if the energy could be provided in a completely “clean” way. This is the concept of sufficiency, also balancing higher-energy demand for heating in cold climates with the comparatively lower-energy demands in warm climate zones of developing countries to establish an equitable single target for all.

Renewable Energy: Energy sources that do not generate carbon.

When an energy source is “renewable,” it does not mean it should be used in excess. That’s why use of renewable forms of energy is the last of the three steps, activated only after efficiency and sufficiency efforts are made. The focus then becomes achieving a primary energy-use balance of 1,500 watts of renewable energy and 500 watts of non-renewable energy on the path toward becoming an actual 2000-Watt Society.

Democracy will drive our success.

Most of us do our best to reduce energy use. Making positive energy choices and having a “personal climate-action plan” is good. And remember our goals to achieve Paris Agreement levels by 2050:

ONE CARBON-NEUTRALITY TARGET FOR ALL:

1-ton CO2 per person per year or 500 watts of non-renewable source energy

SUSTAINABLE ENERGY-FOOTPRINT TARGET FOR ALL:

2000 watts of source energy = 500 watts of non-renewable source energy + 1500 watts of renewable source energy

ONE STRATEGIC TARGET FOR ALL:

Efficiency, Sufficiency, Renewable Energy

The key to a successful 2000-Watt Society lies in the core principle of democracy, that is, everyone having a right to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” while also fulfilling the responsibilities to such privileges. When it comes to our climate issue, each of us has a responsibility to build a new “privilege” to understand how one’s energy-use choices impact global climate change and future generations. On the platform of global equality and solidarity, the 2000-Watt Society offers the opportunity to unite all of us to fight and win the challenge of climate change: we have a problem, we face it by understanding it, agreeing on a common goal, making a plan, acting on it and staying accountable to it.