New technologies and the involvement of the private sector are needed to tackle climate change emissions and power the world, according to Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC).

“Don’t depend on governments,” she says, “because they can’t deliver 100%.”

The public and private sectors need to collaborate more, Figueres argues, to bring down the cost of clean energy technologies like solar and wind.

Speaking at the Barbara Ward Lecture Series, dedicated to one of the earliest advocates of sustainable development, Figueres quoted the series' namesake:  "We have forgotten to be good guests, ...to step lightly on the earth."

Figueres advocates a three-step strategy for countries to undertake an 'energy revolution':

1.  Improve energy efficiency

2.  Invest in renewable energy

3.  Reduce emissions from fossil fuels and shale gas.

You can watch Figueres' speech here:

The Introduction is by Camilla Toulmin, Director of the IIED, International Institute for Environment and Development.