Energy Efficiency, Consumption and Climate Change: The Intersection of Social Theory, Empirical Trends and Program Strategies.

A dramatic change in U.S. energy consumption trends is required to diverge from the world's existing course toward significant global climate change. This revolution must involve the development and adoption of new energy and efficiency technologies as well as changes in social structures, culture, and behaviors. This paper brings together a diverse body of research to assess the intersection between social theory, current patterns of energy consumption, and practical efforts to enable change. Theoretical frameworks that address the relationship between society and the environment characterize the role of technology and economic development in distinct ways that simultaneously celebrate and condemn the direction of our current path into the future. Current and historical energy consumption data suggest that while energy productivity has increased dramatically in many developed countries, programs focused strictly on the development of energy efficient technologies will not be sufficient to reduce GHG emissions. Instead, programs and policies must identify and overcome a variety of social barriers and incorporate social mechanisms in order to achieve needed changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]