Global Compact International Yearbook 2013
35
Pressure on infrastructure and natural resources is already
immense, and growing: Demand for water will increase by
40
percent from 2010 to 2030. Demand for energy will in-
crease by 22.5 percent from 2010 to 2025. Demand for food
will increase by 50 percent between 2010 and 2030. At the
same time, if we are to preserve our natural resources and
standards of living, greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced
by 80 percent by mid-century. This presents a challenge for
our government and business leaders; they must meet these
social and environmental challenges while ensuring economic
stability as well as expanding prosperity.
This is not an insurmountable task but it will take a new,
bold, daring vision for how we do business, heat our homes,
build infrastructure, and structure our economies. This is the
vision of a low-carbon, high-opportunity Clean Revolution:
a swift, massive scale-up of clean energy and infrastructure,
and of smart technologies and design. This will improve the
efficiency and use of our natural resources while creating jobs
and boosting economic growth.
The Clean Revolution is not just a vision of an ideal future.
It is happening now, in cities, regions, states, and countries
around the world as well in companies of all sizes. The Clean
Revolution is already creating millions of new jobs: In the
United States, a report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics found
that there were about 3.4 million green energy jobs in 2011: an
increase of 4.9 percent from the previous year. When compared
with the data for alternative areas of the economy, this figure
is impressive; all other jobs increased by only 1.2 percent. This
is supported by 2012 data from The Solar Foundation, which
reported that California has more solar workers than actors;
more Texans work in solar than ranching; and the US solar
industry has more workers than the coal mining industry.
The outlook for the renewable energy sector looks bright –
investment in clean-energy capacity is expected to triple be-
tween now and 2030, according to analysts from Bloomberg
New Energy Finance. Research by Google in 2011 found that
breakthroughs in clean-tech innovation could generate an
extra $155 - 244 billion in GDP per year in the United States
from 2030 if the right investments are made now.
It is not only the United States that is reaping the benefits of
the Clean Revolution– the Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan
Singh, has announced plans to double India’s renewable-energy
capacity by 2017 and introduce clean-energy subsidies. South
Korea’s business community invested $12.7 billion between
2008
and 2010 as part of the nation’s green-growth program,
Agenda
Climate Change
Cities are key contributors to climate change, as activities there
are the main source of greenhouse gas emissions. If efforts to
address climate change are to be successful, they must integrate
urban requirements and environmental management capacities.