Six Energy Policies to Save the Planet

The following sections are included:

• Foreword
• About the Author
• Sources and Acknowledgements
• Contents

We are at the crossroads. 25 years since world leaders promised, in the UNFCCC Climate Treaty, to stabilise greenhouse gas concentrations at safe levels, the rate of emissions has increased by 50% and it is still rising. “The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak”.

This book is concerned with emissions arising from the production and use of energy, which account for at least two thirds of total greenhouse gas emissions. Emissions from farming, forestry, and land use are also important, but they are not the subject of this book. Similarly, the book does not cover adaptation to climate change, which has now become an equally urgent and important topic…

Key Policy No. 1.

We are doing many of the right things. The framework for climate diplomacy is in place. We have made spectacular progress in commercialising renewables and reducing their costs. Governments have policies for improving energy efficiency. But so far these efforts are far from matching the challenge. Trends in CO₂ emissions are still largely driven by demography and economic development rather than climate mitigation efforts. The increase in the rate of emissions has slowed but we have still not turned the corner for the sharp downward shift that is needed for net zero. We are doing the right things but not yet on the necessary scale, and we are far from being on track to net zero.

Key Policy No. 2.

Renewable electricity will be at the heart of the low-carbon world of the future. But for net zero, we also need technologies that can fill in for the variability of renewables and provide energy for other major CO₂-emitting sectors that are difficult to electrify. These include major industries, such as steel and cement, as well as aviation, shipping, and heavy vehicles. There are a variety of promising low-carbon options, including hydrogen, carbon capture use and storage, and advanced nuclear. Such is the scale of the need that probably all these technologies will be needed. However, there is still uncertainty about their potential and there may be winners and losers. Governments will need to invest heavily and accept some well-considered risks. This is Key Policy No. 2.

Key Policy No. 3.

Business is the activator, but to achieve the scale and pace of change required, it needs strong government policies to shift the economic playing field in favour of low-carbon technology. Governments can only act with the support of public opinion and this gives those who can influence opinion a critical role. Persuading the public to adapt is Key Policy No. 3. We have to create a deep appetite for change. Too often influencers have avoided the challenge.

Key Policy No. 4.

Strong regulatory action by governments is Key Policy No. 4. Governments need to apply a judicious blend of carbon levies, financial support, regulation, and persuasion. Local circumstances will determine the options that are most effective and most acceptable to the public. For developing countries, it will be vital to attract international investment capital. Donor nations and international development banks must help. Their aim should be, in partnership with host countries, to create the conditions where private capital will flow.

Key Policy No. 5.

The effort to limit climate change has profound geopolitical implications. We see this in the struggle for leadership in key technologies and for access to vital materials, in the climate negotiations themselves, and in the emerging threat of climate nationalism. At the heart of this is Key Climate Policy No. 5, the need to support the developing world, because without low-carbon transition in the developing world the climate cause is lost. We also have to find a way to cooperate with China. China is not only the largest emitter, but also a leader in climate technology. China also has considerable influence in the developing world and is the largest investor in developing countries. For all these reasons, cooperation with China is essential to the achievement of climate goals.

Key Policy No. 6.

The UNFCCC is the one legitimate body for climate negotiations and for the setting of climate targets. But there is a lack of international cooperation for delivering those targets. We need to raise the level of global cooperation on implementation. That is Key Policy No. 6. This could be achieved by strengthening the International Energy Agency (IEA) and widening its membership. The creation of an altogether new body, as outlined in the Appendix, would be more ambitious.

The following sections are included:

• Appendix to Chapter 6
• Postscript: Geoengineering, a Looming Question
• Glossary
• Endnotes
• Index