The Conference of the Parties 21 or COP21, a coming together of countries from all over the world to discuss international energy policies, technology and research, continues to be a major event. The hope is for this meeting in Paris to continually foster the feeling that the world must never underestimate the influence of energy possibilities to change the World.

This assembly of countries is meant to arrive at an agreement among the nations in attendance on the best ways to keep the world from becoming any warmer. The more gas we propel into the air, the warmer we make the earth.

With the burning of fossil fuels such as oil and coal, people continue to add more carbon to the Earth’s atmosphere. It’s true that wildfires and volcanoes, for example, are Mother Nature sending carbon into the air, the burning of fossil fuels by humans has added more carbon into the atmosphere that would naturally occur, and at a much higher rate, over a longer period. More carbon means more thermal energy from the sun trapped in our atmosphere.

The energy divisions of each and every country around the globe can do more to confine and decrease their greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions. Canada is committing to the adoption of an effective climate change agreement with COP 21. In early 2016, Canada revealed its creation of a two-billion-dollar Low Carbon Economy Trust fund it plans to use for projects that reduce GHG emissions. Canadian residents and business owners are also being encouraged to learn about energy options in their area, choosing the company the prefer from among several, including ones like Atco gas.

Currently, there are options governments can choose, relying only on proven technologies and policies, with no net economic cost. An energy sector evolution is ongoing in many areas around the world. Policies to support this energy evolution are growing daily, coming from countries all around the globe.

The United States has its Clean Power Plan and China’s newly broadcast carbon trading scheme will take effect in 2017. Over 150 countries – representing almost 100 % of global economic activity and nearly all of the energy-related GHG emissions – have promised to cut emissions.

Research is also crossing borders as the world attempts to combat climate change and switch to sustainable energy resources. Universities in different countries, such as China and Canada, are now conducting studies collaboratively, seeking to draw attention to how nations are all involved in the decline of our global climate. When it is seen that no one country stands alone, the potential for cooperation multiplies.

The business and industry sectors are also working to create new and refine existing technologies that will make the use of fossil fuels obsolete. Solar and wind technologies are continually evolving, making these extremely competitive resources of the future.

The reason why we can never underestimate the influence of energy possibilities to change the world is that energy options take on so many different arrangements, that when all these different configurations come together, how the world uses and thinks of energy will undoubtedly change and for the better. From astronauts in space sending a message to their global leaders, to children around the earth raising their voices, calling out for today’s influential world members to care for their planet, it seems more likely that the different energy possibilities can change the world.

Written by Jane Brown