On Sunday, April 13, a new report was released from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. In the report, experts wrote that governments around the world were not taking enough necessary steps to prevent the catastrophic consequences that will likely result in our continued greenhouse gas emissions. There was, however, a slight silver lining to be found in the otherwise dire report: There seems to be growing political will to address this problem head on.

Greenhouse gas emissions are sharply on the rise and the UN report places the blame for this on governments that have dragged their feet in creating and enforcing strong energy efficiency standards. The report says that our planet is at a very critical stage, with the actions that will be taken over the next 15 years determining the fate of our environment's health. Experts agree that it is possible to course correct on this issue, but only with an immediate response.

"We cannot afford to lose another decade," said Ottmar Edenhofer, a German economist and co-chairman of the committee that wrote the report. "If we lose another decade, it becomes extremely costly to achieve climate stabilization."

The report was welcomed openly by President Barack Obama, who is currently working on drafting new and aggressive climate policies despite facing opposition from members of Congress. The president's chief science advisor John P. Holdren released a statement saying that the longer society waits to take action on this issue, the harder – and more expensive – it will be to reverse its effects.

If you are a Maryland resident looking to do your part and improve the energy efficiency of your own home, schedule an energy audit today from Alban Home Inspections!