World Energy Efficiency Day

Various public and private organizations seek to build awareness in the general public around the fight against climate change. The celebration of so many days such as energy, climate change day, day of the environment can make us feel confused and we tend to simplify all these issues as the same concept related to sustainability. However, it can help the cause by giving visability to the issue on several fronts. Above all, let´s use common sense and invest in energy efficiency.

Would you throw away airline tickets even if you didn´t need them? It is what we usually do with energy, which routinely wasted in industrialized countries. We leave the lights on and food cooking longer than necessary. In households alone, 23 % of energy consumption (equivalent to 5,500 million euros) could be saved and reused for different generation systems, or even better, give access to energy where it isn´t available. Yet, today, more than 1.3 billion people, one in five, live without electricity.

“Energy Efficiency Day originated in Austria in order to lay the foundations on how to overcome the energy crisis.

March 5th is now celebrated globally as World Energy Efficiency Day in order to create public awareness of how we use energy. One of the existing policies to combat climate change is the development of renewable energy and cleaner transport. The celebration originated in Austria where the first international conference on energy efficiency that was held in 1998 to lay the foundations on how to overcome the energy crisis.

“Among the objectives of Sustainable Development, is doubling the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency by 2030.

In this regard, global organizations are catching up. For example the Sustainable Development Goals have set a goal to double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency by 2030. In doing so, it seeks to ensure access to affordable, safe and sustainable energy to everyone in the world so that they can cook, light or heat their homes. It also includes the need to increase the share of renewable energy in the power generation mix. Another example of a search for energy efficiency are the Smart Cities, where energy efficiency will be integrated into the design of the infrastructure itself, which will facilitate the generation of renewable energy and reuse of resources. Thus, facilitating the reduction of emissions, costs and also combating climate change. The money saved can be invested in sustainable development for savings and reducing pollution infrastructure.

In the end everything is related. If we have easy access to energy we consume only what we need, and generate and manage our resources in a sustainable way and eventually achieve global energy access. Make the goal of March 5^th a goal for every day.

Ana Valdivia Arteaga, Communication at Abengoa Abeinsa