What is, in your opinion, the most effective way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions? Go vegetarian or vegan? Save the Amazon forest or replant it? Ban cars?
According to a new research, none of the above. A research found that make air conditioners radically better is the answer to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. On one calculation, replacing refrigerants that damage the atmosphere would reduce total greenhouse gases by the equivalent of 90bn tonnes of CO2 by 2050. Making the units more energy-efficient could double that. By contrast, if half the world’s population were to give up meat, it would save 66bn tonnes of CO2. Replanting two-thirds of degraded tropical forests would save 61bn tonnes. A one-third increase in global bicycle journeys would save just 2.3bn tonnes.
Air-conditioning is one of the world’s great overlooked industries. In the next ten years, as many air-conditioners will be installed around the world as were put in between 1902 (when air-conditioning was invented) and 2005. Until energy can be produced without carbon emissions, these extra machines will warm the world. At the moment, therefore, air-conditioners create a vicious cycle. The more the Earth warms, the more people need them. But the more there are, the warmer the world will be. You see the vicious cycle here?
So, maybe the answer lies within a new cooling system?!