This article that covers the global companies and governments pledge to deploy 6 billion LED bulbs is written by Arianna Tozzi from The Climate Group.

Today the Global Lighting Challenge announced that more than 40 groups of stakeholders have so far pledged 6 billion LED lighting products and deployed over 100 million LED bulbs globally, since its launch at the global COP21 climate talks in Paris last year.

Speaking at the 7^th Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM7), Swedish State Secretary of Energy Nils Vikmang also announced the United Arab Emirates as a new signatory of the Global Lighting Challenge, and called for other CEM countries to sign up. 

The Clean Energy Ministerial launched the Challenge at COP21 in December to promote energy efficient lighting, with the goal of encouraging public and private sector leaders to deploy 10 billion high-efficiency, high-quality lighting products such as LEDs (light-emitting diodes) around the world.

The Climate Group is a partner of the Challenge and is working to drive the global adoption of LEDs for street lighting through its LED scale-up program.

Mark Kenber, CEO, The Climate Group, says: “In the wake of the historic Paris Agreement, the tools to achieve real climate action – in a way that makes real economic sense – are ready and waiting for governments and businesses to use them. LED street lighting is an obvious example of a low carbon solution that is available now, is technically proven and commercially attractive. There is no real excuse not to switch.

“The Climate Group has long supported the wide-scale adoption of LEDs in cities as a way to rapidly reduce CO₂ emissions globally, cut costs and enhance lighting. As a partner of the Global Lighting Challenge, we will work with the Clean Energy Ministerial to keep driving better quality, energy efficient lighting around the world.”

CLIMATE ACTION

On day 2 of CEM7 at the Public-Private Action Summit, Philips Lighting, a global leader in lighting products, system and services – and a signatory of the Global Lighting Challenge – will announce its intention to sell more than 2 billion LED light bulbs by 2020. Philips estimates that achieving this goal would save the equivalent energy as decommissioning 60 medium-sized coal-fired power stations, and emissions equivalent to 24 million cars.

Bill Bien, Head of Strategy and Alliances for Philips Lighting, said: ‘’We plan to turn the agreement at the COP21 UN Climate Change Summit in Paris into tangible action. Energy efficiency is the low-hanging fruit in the fight against climate change.

“Delivering on this pledge will be positive for our environment as well as the global economy, resulting in energy savings of around EUR 12 billion annually by 2020 that could be invested elsewhere. The clock is ticking for humanity -- action is needed now before it’s too late.”

Along with the announcement, Philips will also confirm its intention to achieve carbon neutrality in its operation by 2020 as part of The Climate Group RE100 campaign, and call on other leading companies to follow its example in making concrete steps towards carbon neutrality.

LED SCALE-UP

The Climate Group has been a long-time supporter and advocate of the environmental and socio-economic benefits of wide scale LED lighting adoption through our LED work. Over the past two years we have runa global consultation, assisting cities and municipalities around the world in identifying and overcoming key regional barriers to the acceleration of the global adoption of high quality, highly efficient LED street lighting.

In 2015, The Climate Group called for cities and utilities globally to roll out LED street lighting (or as efficient as) by 2025, and launched the ‘LED= Lower Emissions Delivered’ campaign to support stakeholders at all levels in achieving the 2025 adoption goal.