Transitioning society’s energy systems is a critical step for all countries in decarbonizing. Luckily, we have all the technologies we need to take this step. A 2018 report by the Energy Innovation think tank found that wind and solar technologies are now cheaper than 74 percent of coal costs in the United States, and this percentage is projected to keep rising. The same trend is also evident in a number of other industrialized nations, including India, China, Germany, and Japan. Nevertheless, according to the Climate Action Tracker website, only two countries, Morocco and Gambia, are currently on track to meet the 1.5 °C Paris Agreement goal. While energy companies and utilities have an outsized role to play in the transition to renewable energy, communities and congregations are also key players. According to the Hartford Institute, there are roughly 350,000 religious congregations in the United States alone. What can we do to help them understand their energy use and associated carbon footprint? How can this knowledge facilitate their own implementation of renewable energy technologies and energy efficiency measures? |
