The Global Lighting Challenge (GLC) was launched in May 2015 as a vehicle to help achieve the goal of cumulative global sales of 10 billion high-efficiency, high-quality and affordable advanced lighting products, such as light-emitting diode (LED) lamps. The GLC will showcase the ways businesses, governments and other leaders are taking action to accelerate this transition.


Given that lighting accounts for 15 percent of global electricity consumption and 5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, expediting the transition to energy-efficient lighting could be one of the most significant short-term initiatives to improve economic and global conditions. By 2030, initiatives such as this are projected to deploy 50 percent more lighting globally, while consuming 50 percent less energy compared to today. The GLC estimates that, if the goal is achieved, $120 billion can be saved globally in electricity bills.


The GLC provides a high-profile global platform to recognize public- and private-sector leaders that are driving the global transition to efficient lighting. There are four levels of membership:


• Participants are organizations that make tangible and specific commitments to be counted toward the 10-billion-lamp goal. These can be lighting retailers, building owners, other retailers, governments, development banks, and related institutions.


• Supporters are “market enablers” that are critical to supporting the efforts of participants and endorsers (discussed below). Supporters include lighting manufacturers, utilities, energy service companies (ESCOs) and others.


• Endorsers are governments that affirm and promote the GLC’s goal.


• Partners are organizations and initiatives that provide support for lighting policies and programs that have agreed to promote and be promoted through the GLC platform. More specifically, these are the organizations that are largely responsible for contributing to the initial concept, technical support, launch and operation of the GLC.


As of December 2015, the GLC reports that approximately 35.5 million lamps (0.36 percent toward the 10 billion goal) have been installed.


For more information, visit www.globallightingchallenge.org.