Seize Power: Transition To Solar and Wind Energy

Seize Power: Transition To Solar and Wind Energy


About the Pledge

The world must shift towards renewable energy; it will reduce carbon emissions and build a more sustainable future. Stand with organizations like the World Wildlife Fund and pledge to seize your power.

Solar energy is the cleanest and most abundant renewable energy resource. In places like India, solar power competes directly with fossil fuels, and in the U.S., more than 100,000 homes are powered completely by the sun. Even though solar electricity capacity was pushed to an impressive 100,000 megawatts in 2012—it currently only provides less than one tenth of one percent of global needs. With significant technological and scientific advancements, in one hour, the sun could potentially satisfy energy consumption globally for the entire year

Today, wind power is the fastest-growing source of electricity in the world. One wind turbine can power 500 homes. In 2012, around 140 million mega-watt hours of wind energy avoided creating 79.9 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, proving that wind energy is not only sustainable but also clean. In countries like Denmark and Portugal, wind power is responsible for 20% of total electricity production. And amazingly, wind energy is now cheaper than coal in Australia. 

But there's more to be done. $1.4 trillion worth of investments are required over the next four years to adequately address climate change on a global level. One by one, countries need to phase out their reliance on oil, coal and gas—this transition is imperative for future prosperity. 

Photo Credit: Henglein and Steets/Getty Images