Osram Speaks During the UN Climate Conference COP21 in Paris

As a member of the en.lighten-Initiative, Osram addressed the need to save energy and reduce carbon dioxide emissions via efficient lighting during two podium discussions. The United Nations organised the discussions as part of the 'Sustainable Energy For All' platform.

"LED lighting solutions save power and therefore reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and they're not only environmentally-friendly but also economic. In most situations, costs for upgrading to LED lighting are paid back rapidly due to lower electricity costs," stated Dr. Eladia Pulido, CEO of the Osram Lighting Solutions business unit. Dr. Pulido took part in the podium discussion concerning "Energy Efficiency – The Game Changer" during the UN climate conference COP21 in Paris. Christophe Richon, Strategic Marketing Osram Lighting Solutions, also held a talk as part of the accompanying technical forum of the ADEME (French agency for environment and energy management) about "LED Streetlighting Solutions – An easy Switch for Cities".

Osram has been a founding member of the en.lighten Initiative since 2010. En.lighten is a public-private partnership in cooperation with the environmental program of the United Nations (UNEP) and the GEF (Global Environment Facility). The initiative supports developing and emerging countries in their more rapid transformation to energy-efficient lighting, and already has 66 partner countries. As a consequence, the en.lighten Initiative reaches around one billion people with energy-efficient lighting strategies. 

According to UNEP estimates, an immediate upgrade to LED could halve global power consumption for lighting 'overnight' and therefore slash associated annual carbon dioxide emissions by 735 million tons. Lighting currently contributes by approximately 15% to total electricity consumption. More efficient lighting is also an important aspect with regard to climate change, an approach actively supported by Osram. The company on the one hand develops sustainable, innovative, efficient and intelligent lighting solutions enabling energy and valuable resources to be saved, and on the other its commitment to the en.lighten Initiative for example is aimed at the rapid, wide-area implementation of new, more energy-efficient technologies and solutions.