UN and Big Business Push Mercury Light Bulbs

The United Nations and its corporate allies called for a global ban on incandescent light bulbs and kerosene lamps Wednesday at the COP16 global-warming summit in Cancun, claiming in a new study that “energy-efficient” lights would reduce the amount of carbon dioxide emissions. “Among the low hanging fruit in the climate change challenge, a switch to far more efficient lighting must rank as among the lowest,” said UN Environment Program (UNEP) chief Achim Steiner. “Efficient lighting systems is one path that is literally available at the flip of a policy switch.”

According to the report released by the UNEP, the Global Environment Facility (GEF), and two lighting-industry giants during a presentation at the climate summit, the move would reduce the world’s lighting-related electricity demand by about two percent. The paper also claimed a global ban would save money.

“We need to cut the use of kerosene for lighting," demanded chief “sustainability” officer Wolfgang Gregor of Osram, one of the world’s largest lighting manufacturers, during a news conference. “OSRAM has given its firm commitment to the … initiative, as well as to combating the use of kerosene,” he added. His company, along with lighting behemoth Philips, also worked on the UN report.'

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