Inappropriate action at this stage could have minimal benefit, wasting time, effort and money we can't waste. We must provide a solid framework incorporating policy, education, legislation, and development of appropriate technologies. End-use efficiency is the single most important technological factor determining future energy consumption levels, and therefore also future CO 2 emissions. Renewables Solar radiation striking the earth each year is equal to about 178,000 terrawatts or about 15,000 times current global energy consumption. There is little doubt that renewable systems, in particular solar energy, offer the best hope of providing the world with a safe, clean and sustainable energy supply.
Most renewable technologies are now well proven.
None of these barriers are technical. They are financial, institutional and information barriers. Australian researchers are world leaders in renewable energy systems. Education Understanding is required across all sectors of society, from individuals, local authorities, industries, and commerce to the public sector. This demands the understanding of the effects our patterns of consumption, both of energy and resources, have on the environment.