Improving energy efficiency is the cheapest, fastest way to substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions and is fundamental to all climate change mitigation strategies.

This is true in all countries, but especially in Australia, where our inefficient use of energy, combined with the fact that our electricity is generated mostly from coal means that Australia’s economy is very greenhouse intensive. While this is a risk for our economy, it also presents an opportunity because every gain in efficiency gives us a larger cut in emissions than almost every other OECD country.

Unfortunately, our relatively cheap electricity has meant that energy efficiency has not been prioritised. But cheap electricity isn't the only barrier to energy efficiency. Other barriers include:
• high upfront costs;
• apathy because energy bills are such a small proportion of expenditure;
• lack of information about the options;
• a disconnect between those making decisions about energy efficiency
investments and those paying the electricity bills.

Rolling out energy efficiency upgrades across Australia, to households, commercial buildings and industry, is a top priority for the Greens.