Is efficient sufficient?

A report published by ECEEE, Is efficient sufficient?, argues that energy efficiency does not prevent power consumption or annual energy use to rise, even if it is in a steady, linearly way, with product performance, size, amenity or functionality.
Although

we have slowed the rate of growth compared to a business-as-usual scenario, but have not consistently turned absolute energy consumption or greenhouse gas emissions downward.

The report recommends that efficiency specifications should be tailored in a more effective way:

Progressive efficiency specifications can in many cases be crafted where the allowable power consumption approaches those sufficiency limits and ceases to increase, no matter how much more performance or amenity is provided. ENERGY STAR has proposed exactly that in its version 5.0 television specification, which will help to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions even as televisions continue to grow in size. Such specifications, when employed by programs that also recover and recycle the energy-using products consumers are replacing, reduce the greenhouse gas intensity of fuels, increase product durability, and minimize hours of use, have the potential to finally bring overall energy use and greenhouse gas emissions downward.

However,

progressive efficiency standards alone will not be enough to turn down energy consumption.

We will need voluntary and mandatory efficiency policies and programs to systematically implement sufficiency and progressive efficiency concepts, keep specifications up to date, and discourage excessive consumption through price and information signals.