Many countries and civic society organisations have been campaigning for global targets for energy efficiency. However, not all countries agree on the targets, despite an almost universal recognition of the importance of renewable energy. The move towards global targets has been slow. After a failed attempt to reach consensus at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002, many countries and civic society bodies pinned their hopes on the Conference on Renewable Energy, which was held in Bonn, Germany, earlier this month.