FYI Begin forwarded message:
> From: Edward Beggs <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Date: Fri Apr 11, 2003 10:00:34 AM America/Vancouver > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Fwd: Global Transformation of Energy Systems is Necessary and > Feasible > > > > Begin forwarded message: > >> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> Date: Fri Apr 11, 2003 8:31:09 AM America/Vancouver >> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> Subject: Global Transformation of Energy Systems is Necessary and >> Feasible >> >> Global transformation of energy systems is necessary and feasible >> >> >> >> How to ensure future energy security while protecting the climate and >> eradicating energy poverty >> >> >> >> Berlin, 10 April 2003.Today, the German Advisory Council on Global >> Change (WBGU) submits to federal ministers Jrgen Trittin >> (Environment) and Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul (Economic Cooperation) >> and to the State Secretary Dr. Uwe Thomas (Research) its new report >> "World in Transition: Towards Sustainable Energy Systems". >> (http://www.wbgu.de/wbgu_jg2002_engl.html) The report underscores the >> urgent need to transform global energy systems so that the worldās >> population has access to energy based on renewable sources. This is >> necessary to protect the global climate and to liberate 2.4 billion >> people in developing countries from energy poverty. Such an approach >> would also yield a peace dividend by reducing dependence upon >> regionally concentrated oil reserves. The scientists stress that such >> a transformation of energy systems is feasible and fundable if rapid >> and resolute action is taken in the coming two decades. To this end, >> they propose a roadmap for implementation. >> >> >> >> Using energy more efficiently >> >> The key precondition to turning energy systems towards sustainability >> is to convert and use energy more efficiently. Here the goal should >> be by 2050 to produce three times the goods and services with the >> same amount of energy worldwide. This requires, in particular, the >> establishment of international standards for fossil-fuelled power >> plants, and the promotion of combined heat and power production. For >> industrialized countries promising avenues are to launch ecological >> financial reforms and establish mandatory labelling for buildings, >> energy-intensive appliances and services. >> >> >> >> Substantial expansion of renewables >> >> Promoting renewable resources is an essential element in this >> transformation. The share of renewables in global energy production >> should therefore be raised from 12.7 per cent today to 20 per cent by >> 2020, and finally to more than 50 per cent by 2050. Those types of >> renewables which can only be expanded to a limited extent (e.g. wind >> power, modern bioenergy) are in many cases already available at >> competitive prices today. In contrast, those technologies which can >> be expanded virtually without limit (e.g. photovoltaics, solar >> thermal power generation) are still comparatively expensive from the >> business management standpoint. Since the development of non-solar >> forms of renewable energy will reach its limits over the medium term >> it is essential to start now to comprehensively expand and promote >> solar energy. >> >> >> >> Future Energy supply systems will require forward-looking investment >> in appropriate infrastructure. Priorities include improving the >> performance of grid control systems, enhancing load management, >> expanding rapidly dispatchable generating plants, extending networks >> to a global link and, over the long term, establishing an >> infrastructure for hydrogen storage and distribution. >> >> >> >> Shaping the transition >> >> The use of coal for energy production should be terminated within >> this century. Nuclear power should be phased out worldwide by 2050. >> Among other aspects of nuclear energy, illegal proliferation of >> nuclear material and the unresolved issue of final storage pose >> intolerable risks. For a transition period, intensified use of gas is >> advisable and storage of carbon in geological formations is >> presumably necessary. >> >> >> >> >> >> Focussing North-South cooperation more strongly on sustainability >> >> Overcoming energy poverty is key to improving living conditions in >> developing countries and achieving internationally agreed development >> goals. Indoor air pollution from the combustion of traditional >> biomass causes serious health risks. Some 1.6 million people are >> dying every year as a consequence ö many more than the toll taken by >> malaria. Similarly, the pollution of ambient air, notably in the >> cities of many developing countries, has assumed extreme proportions >> in some instances. >> >> >> >> To resolve these problems, international cooperation needs to focus >> more strongly upon sustainable development principles. In the view of >> the Council, an important measure in this context is to redirect >> assistance delivery by the World Bank and regional development banks >> in favour of renewable energy sources. >> >> >> >> Exploiting all available funding opportunities >> >> The transformation of energy systems can be financed ö provided all >> available opportunities are exploited. In industrialized and >> transition countries, subsidies for fossil fuels and nuclear power >> need to be removed completely by 2020. To this end, the Council >> recommends negotiating a Multilateral Energy Subsidies Agreement by >> 2008. At the same time private-sector investment in sustainable >> energies needs to be promoted. Official development assistance >> funding has to be increased substantially in order to support the >> poorest countries. As a supplementary measure, the Council recommends >> that OECD countries introduce user charges on international aviation >> from 2008 onwards. >> >> >> >> Advancing research and development >> >> To master the technological challenges, substantial research and >> development efforts will need to be undertaken. In industrialized >> countries, government expenditure on research into renewables should >> be increased at least ten-fold by 2020, through re-allocations from >> other areas. As a supporting measure, the Council recommends the >> creation of a World Energy Research Coordination Programme. >> >> >> >> Maintaining the momentum of the Bonn World Energy Conference >> >> Turning energy systems towards sustainability on a global scale will >> require capable institutions. The existing global energy policy >> institutions should therefore be strengthened and expanded in a >> stepwise process. To establish a common platform for action, the >> Council recommends the adoption of a World Energy Charter. The World >> Conference for Renewable Energy proposed by the German federal >> government, which is to take place in 2004 in Bonn, provides an >> excellent opportunity to launch this process. Building on this >> foundation, the establishment of an International Sustainable Energy >> Agency warrants consideration by about 2010. >> >> >> >> German Advisory Council on Global Change (WBGU) breaks new ground >> >> The Councilās new report makes an innovative contribution to the >> debate. It is the first time that the two objectives of "climate >> protection" and "eradicating energy poverty" are given equal weight. >> The one objective is a matter of keeping global warming within >> tolerable limits. This requires that industrialized countries reduce >> their CO2 emissions by some 80 per cent by 2050. Owing to the major >> uncertainties associated with the behaviour of the global climate >> system, this is a minimum requirement. To meet the other objective, >> the entire population of the world should be given access to modern >> forms of energy by 2020. On this basis, the Council has elaborated an >> exemplary path for a global transformation of energy systems >> owards sustainability, and has drawn up a roadmap for implementation. >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> Please direct your queries to: >> >> >> >> WBGU Secretariat >> >> Reichpietschufer 60-62, 8th Floor >> >> D-10785 Berlin >> >> Germany >> >> >> >> Tel. +49 30 263948 12 >> >> Fax +49 30 263948 50 >> >> Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> >> >> >> All press releases and reports can be downloaded at >> http://www.wbgu.de. >> >> >> **************************************************************** >> List Name: SIDSnet energy-newswire >> Posting address: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> To unsubscribe, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: >> unsubscribe energy-newswire >> To subscribe, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: >> subscribe energy-newswire >> No subjects required for either cases. >> >> Brought to you by >> the Small Island Developing States Network: http://www.sidsnet.org >> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> Make Money Online Auctions! Make $500.00 or We Will Give You Thirty Dollars for Trying! http://us.click.yahoo.com/yMx78A/fNtFAA/i5gGAA/9bTolB/TM ---------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Biofuels at Journey to Forever http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Biofuel at WebConX http://webconx.green-trust.org/2000/biofuel/biofuel.htm List messages are archived at the Info-Archive at NNYTech: http://archive.nnytech.net/ To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
