series of laws to implement emissions reduction
measures and control energy demand growth in
all sectors. To lower energy consumption, the
USA issued a national energy efficiency policy
and regulations and the National Appliance
Energy Conservation Act. To reduce emissions,
the USA passed the Clean Water Act, the Clean
Air Act and the Solid Waste Disposal Act, and
others.
Developed economies are at the forefront of
new energy legislation. The UK government
passed the Climate Change Act 2008 and the
Energy Act 2011, which cover green energy
options, energy efficiency and low-carbon technologies. The House of Representatives passed
the American Clean Energy and Security Act of
2009 (ACES) to drive development of clean
energy and energy security in the USA. In Japan
in 2011, the House of Councillors and the House
of Representatives passed the Act on Special
Measures for Renewable Energy to promote new
energy technology innovation and reduce
Fig. 13 Change in global average temperature, sea level and snow-cover in the northern hemisphere. Source
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Fourth Assessment Report (2007)
Special Report 4: China’s Energy System Revolution
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