The Clean Revolution: A vision for a cleaner, smarter, better world

What is The Clean Revolution?

We live in an age of unprecedented prosperity. The world’s middle class will grow from less than 2 billion to 5 billion in the next 20 years. In the same period China alone will build another “United States” in terms of homes and commercial buildings. This growth is coupled with an enormous demand for resources. Despite a weak international economy, world energy consumption in 2010 registered its strongest annual increase since 1973.

At the same time, by mid–century, we need to reduce emissions by around two thirds of today’s level. Failure to meet this challenge could mean severe economic upheaval, dangerous sea–level rise, and intensified natural disasters.

So, how can we provide for more people, that are better off than ever before, in a way that makes financial sense and is at the same time sustainable?

In order to achieve sustainable prosperity we need a revolution in the way we produce and consume energy and manage and use our natural resources.

This is The Clean Revolution: A swift and massive scaling-up of clean energy technologies and infrastructure. A change in design and behaviour to improve efficiency and use of our natural resources. A process that will create jobs, boost economic growth, and secure a better, more prosperous future for all.

What are the aims of The Clean Revolution campaign?

It is through leadership that change can take place. Leadership that provides a positive and inspiring vision of tomorrow while answering the imperatives of today. To make this happen, decision makers must be given a clear, pragmatic and compelling set of arguments on both the necessity and the opportunity in the low carbon economy.

The Climate Group’s Clean Revolution campaign aims to do just that. Over a period of three years we want to show to the world’s decision-makers that this transformation is not only necessary and possible, but also that it is the key to raising living standards, creating lasting employment and improving productivity.

How are we going to achieve those aims

We will achieve this by providing a clear and practical vision, showcasing successful examples of low carbon transformation at scale and creating platforms for leaders to take the steps to put this revolution into action. We will praise leadership, highlight the opportunity and do what we have always done best: convene, inspire and empower the world’s decision-makers to take action on the low carbon economy.

We introduced The Clean Revolution campaign in September 2011, in New York. Tony Blair, Michael Bloomberg, and other international government and business leaders helped us present our vision for a cleaner, better, smarter world. We will be ready to launch the campaign during the Earth Summit in Rio, in June 2012. There we will show to the world that The Clean Revolution is underway and that the world’s leaders are already joining The Climate Group to affect real change.