the introduction and deployment of new re technologies from a very narrow basis holds the possibility of more considerable progress it must be noted in this context that while shifting from coal to gas in electricity generation does reduce gfig emissions in climatefriendly scenarios like the scenario of the weo iea a the global consumption of natural gas decreases after while renewable energy production continues to expand accepting too large an investment in renewable technologies while neglecting timely energyefficiency programmes clearly runs the risk of lockingin societies toohigh energy consumption patterns with detrimental longterm implications for both energy security and climate protection