Abstract
To stave off the worst impacts of climate change, the world must limit warming to no more than 2 degrees Celsius above preindustrial temperatures and this will require the US to cut its greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution by at least 80 percent by 2050, relative to 1990 emissions levels. The Natural Resources Defense Council and its consultant completed a detailed analysis that showed that the US can indeed meet these targets through a combination of bold actions tied to energy efficiency, renewable energy, electrification of vehicles and buildings with clean power, and electric grid enhancements.
During his talk, NRDC Senior Scientist Noah Horowitz will give a high-level summary of this analysis and then will provide a closer look at his team’s efforts to make buildings and the equipment inside them more energy efficient. He will also share some highlights on work he has been doing to reduce the energy usage of lighting, consumer electronics (TVs, set top boxes, and video game consoles) and air conditioners both in the US and around the world.
And even if energy efficiency isn’t your thing, please come by to hear a report from the trenches and to learn more about how environmental advocacy groups like NRDC work to protect the environment.
Biography
Noah Horowitz is a Senior Scientist and Director of the Center for Energy Efficiency Standards at the Natural Resources Defense Council, a US based environmental advocacy group. His work focuses on making buildings and the equipment inside them more energy efficient as means to reduce climate change pollution.
His primary areas of focus are consumer electronics and residential lighting. Noah helped draft the US legislation due to phase out inefficient light bulbs and is recognized as one of the world’s leading experts on the energy use of the TV “ecosystem” -- flat panel TVs, cable and satellite set top boxes, and video game consoles. He also played a leading role in the successful worldwide campaign to improve the efficiency of external power supplies, the little black boxes that power most of our consumer electronics.
Prior to joining NRDC, Noah was the Worldwide Manager of Environmental Programs for the Quaker Oats Company. He has a MS in Environmental Engineering from Illinois Institute of Technology and a BS in Chemical Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University.