God made mankind stewards of the earth, and so it is our responsibility to ensure that its resources are preserved, and protected, and that every part of it is kept clean and free from pollution and waste.

Energy efficiency is an important part of reducing carbon emissions and slowing climate change. The International Energy Agency (IEA) created a report in 2023 on energy efficiency “in recognition of its important role in enhancing energy security and affordability, and in accelerating clean energy transitions.” According to the report, shifts toward cleaner and more efficient sources of energy are complex and mostly moving in the right direction, even in the midst of growing electricity demands.

Here are some points from the IEA’s 2023 report.

1) Policies for energy efficiency continue to grow, and the US and European Union have made “exceptional gains.”

2) Since 2020, there have been tremendous increases in electric vehicles and heat pumps around the globe.

3) The world is expected to be near the peak of fossil fuels use.

4) Hotter and colder temperatures, consequences of climate change, are creating a higher demand for energy.

Other recent reports similarly highlight the rising demand for electricity and the concern that this may slow reductions in fossil fuel. More electricity is required for electric vehicles (half of all new cars sold in China are electric), air conditioners (the number of air conditioners sold in India doubled in the past year), industry transitions to renewable fuels and data centers, which use huge amounts of electricity. Areas around the country are confronted with unprecedented demands for electricity by data companies that are, in many cases, stalling the closing of polluting, coal-fired power plants. Analysts warn that the rapid rise in data centers will undermine the transition to clean energies.

The consulting firm and technology service provider, ICF, projects a 9% rise in electricity consumption in the US between now and 2028, mostly attributed to energy requirements of data centers. One consequence will be higher utility bills, estimated to increase by 20%. From Pope Francis: “At this time in history, which risks becoming rich in technology and poor in humanity, our reflections must begin with the human heart.”

By Dr. Julie Peller