According to the United Nations, investing in energy efficiency for power plants, buildings, and cars is the most effective way to combat global warming. The UN report, presented to a meeting in Vienna with delegates from 158 nations, also stated that curbing greenhouse gas emissions is more cost-effective in developing nations than in wealthy countries. The report estimated that the cost of reducing emissions to current levels by 2030 would be a small percentage of projected GDP or global investment flows. Yvo de Boer, head of the U.N. Climate Change Secretariat, emphasized that energy efficiency is the best short-term solution for reducing greenhouse gases. The 216-page report was released online recently. According to him, the report could provide guidance for governments meeting in Austria to develop a long-term strategy to combat global warming beyond the UN's Kyoto Protocol. The protocol requires 35 wealthy nations to limit greenhouse gas emissions by 2008-12. The report suggests that around $200 billion-$210 billion in additional investment and financial resources will be needed by 2030 to stabilize greenhouse gas emissions, including initiatives for energy supply, forestry, and transportation. Improving energy efficiency in power plants and implementing measures like increasing fuel efficiency in vehicles and enhancing building insulation could be beneficial. The study predicts a transition towards renewable energies like solar, hydropower, and some nuclear power. It also forecasts that investments in helping countries adapt to the impact of climate change will amount to tens of billions of dollars by 2030, including measures such as treating more cases of diseases like malaria and building dykes to protect coastlines from rising sea levels. The report suggests that carbon markets will need to be expanded significantly to meet the demand for additional investments and financial resources. Currently, companies are responsible for around 60 percent of global investments. Experts believe that this report is the first to offer a comprehensive overview of the required investments for a single year, specifically 2030. The report adds information that was missing from previous reports, such as one by former World Bank chief economist Nicholas Stern who argued that it would be more economical to address climate change now rather than waiting to deal with the consequences. Recent U.N. reports have also predicted that global warming will lead to more extreme weather events, health problems, disruptions in agriculture, and rising sea levels. De Boer emphasized the importance of increasing investments in developing countries, stating that the majority of cost-effective opportunities are found there. However, he also noted that this does not mean that wealthy nations should only invest abroad and neglect their own countries, as more than half of the necessary energy investment is needed in developing nations. China is building two new coal-fired power plants every week to support its expanding economy. The speaker suggested that investing in cleaner technology, like filtering and burying carbon emissions, could be beneficial.