This Worldwatch report focuses on transformation of the global energy system and advocates "unleashing the full potential of energy efficiency in concert with renewable energy resources" for tackling the climate change challenge.

Addressing the climate crisis and an array of other environmental challenges will affect virtually every aspect of the modern economy. There are, however, a number of core areas that are of particular strategic importance and will facilitate broader progress. Greening infrastructure, especially for transportation and electricity transmission, is one high priority.

At the heart of climate change is the greenhouse effect, in which molecules of various gases trap heat in Earth

Growing estimates of natural gas resources, including a new category of ?unconventional? gas, suggest that accessible supplies of this least carbon-intensive of the fossil fuels may be far more abundant than previously assumed.

Over the next decade and beyond, U.S. national, state, and local policy must focus on developing sustainable biofuels

The world is now in the early stages of an energy revolution that over the next few decades could be as momentous as the emergence of oil-and electricity-based economies a century ago. Double-digit market growth, annual capital flows of more than $100 billion, sharp declines in technology costs, and rapid progress in government policies all herald a promising new energy era.