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INDUSTRY INTRODUCTION 017“ THE REALITIES OF CLIMATE CHANGE FORCE AN URGENT COLLECTIVE FOCUS ON REDUCING ENERGY CONSUMPTION AND CARBON EMISSIONS ”Some of the most important things in life are taken for granted, and nowhere is this truer than with light. Since man first beheld the rising sun, the natural illumination of our world has been the most predictable aspect of the human experience and thus, the most apt to be taken for granted. But in some regards, human evolution can be measured against how we have transformed light from the most passive element of our environment into something active, reactive and even interactive.   EVOLUTION TO REVOLUTION: THE EARLY IMPACT OF LIGHTING We know that human evolution was impacted when man captured and began to employ fire as a tool. Fire gave him a way to cook, migrate to colder climes and enjoy protection from predators. But fire also gave man the ability to use the nighttime hours in ways not possible before. This almost certainly helped form the social bonds that led to the growth of villages and later cities and urban areas. But what might be considered the first revolution in lighting was the successful introduction, a little more than a century ago, of so-called “artificial” or electric light into the home and workspace. This leap forward was made possible by the convergence of two distinct technologies: widespread electrification and the invention of a long-lasting carbon filament lamp. The world’s demand for more light and the power needed to generate it has grown exponentially in the years since. Undoubtedly, the most promising technology to transform electric lighting in recent decades has been the development of the LED, or light emitting diode, the lifespan and electrical efficiency of which are several times greater than any of the technologies that have preceded it. In fact, the promise and potential of global adoption of LED lighting comes at a crucial point in human history. THE CHALLENGES AT HANDThe first central power plant in the United States – Thomas Edison’s Pearl Street Station – delivered about 600 kilowatts of electricity to 82 customers. Today, 7 billion citizens demand more than 20 trillion kilowatts. By 2050, with a population approaching 9.5 billion, demand could double. Accompanying this growth is increased urbanization: today 54 per cent of the world population – 3.5 billion people – live in cities. By 2050, it is projected that over two thirds, or close to an additional 3 billion, will be urban residents. An additional 3 billion will become part of the middle class, increasing their energy use accordingly. By 2030 these trends will lead to an estimated 35 per cent increase in the number of light points worldwide. Meanwhile, the realities of climate change force an urgent collective focus on reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions.Realizing the potential of the savings afforded by LED, on December 7, 2006, Philips took an unprecedented action in the lighting industry by calling for a global phase-out of incandescent light bulbs, the very basis and origin of the company. Speaking at the COP21 Energy Day Summit in Paris in December 2015, Eric Rondolat, the Chief Executive Officer of Philips Lighting, urged leaders to set more aggressive targets to prevent climate change. “The world must set more ambitious goals,” Mr Rondolat said. “Faster adoption of LED lighting, and a drive to renovate existing city infrastructure and greater use of solar-powered LED lighting would have a huge impact.” Pictured: Los Angeles illuminated by the connected LED-based municipal street lighting