Energy efficiency and conservation as ethical responsibilities

Abstract

"This paper provides a brief assessment of the ethical issues raised by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's (IPCC) Working Group III report, Mitigation of Climate Change.It argues that energy efficiency and conservation are not simply two more options that can be employed to address climate change; they are the most equitable and sustainable options. Energy efficiency involves doing the same amount of work, or producing the same amount of goods or services, with less energy. Energy conservation is a broader term; it involves using less energy, regardless of the whether energy efficiency has changed. The other major options available to address climate change are direct reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, long-term storage of carbon, and adaptation." (p.1).