For leaders across Europe, perhaps it will make sense to stick to the fossil fuel status quo – such as tapping our proven reserves wherever possible – and invite fossil fuel energy companies to voluntarily convert themselves, if The climate emergency lies some way in the distant future. Only, it isn’t. Getting global warming under control requires reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 2030 – a feat only possible with rapid system change. Ambitious commitments such as accelerating the transition to renewable energy and increasing energy efficiency,
Persisting in our unhealthy relationship with fossil fuels conveniently creates misconceptions such as the high installed cost of renewable energy. not true. The hottest new renewable energy is now more competitive price Compared to the cheapest new fossil fuels. For coal, the economics don’t support running the plants, much less building them, most of the time, But as the price of renewable energy is tied to the price of gas in most markets, most customers don’t see this.
Reducing our endemic fossil fuel dependency opens the door to a more decentralized approach to energy production and transmission.
Reducing our endemic fossil fuel dependency opens the door to a more decentralized approach to energy production and transmission. A cleaner, more localized grid network is not only more resilient, but it also allows local businesses and communities to invest in renewable energy generation, which in turn benefits local communities as well as approvals that benefit local communities. Accelerates. It creates real energy independence while creating jobs and innovation.
No matter how strong these counter-arguments are, the energy debate needs to focus on promoting change, not just hammering out points. For this, we need to be clearer about the reasons for today’s political hesitation and get smarter about changing it.
The first step in this process is to debunk the myth. The harmful effects of decades of misinformation and lobbying by vested interests cannot be underestimated.
The first step in this process is to debunk the myth. The harmful effects of decades of misinformation and lobbying by vested interests cannot be underestimated. At the top of the list is the idea that all leaders want is business as usual. In truth, though, most clear-eyed company heads now see climate change as a material business risk. Ask the German chemical companies that have had to deal with it more than fivefold increase The price of liquid tanker boats this summer after a drought saw the Rhine’s water level drop dramatically. More than 100 businesses and civil society groups have signed this week high ambitions now Open letter from European energy ministers calls for higher 2030 energy targets – 50 per cent renewables, and 20 per cent increase in energy efficiency – as the only realistic win-win solution to address the triple-crisis of high bills, energy insecurity and climate I have requested. emergency.
Another popular myth focuses on the change timeline. Critics argue that it will take too long to build the infrastructure. The opposite is actually true. With the removal of current restrictions, there could be sufficient onshore and offshore wind capacity within two and six years, respectively, as opposed to 13 year wait for new nuclear and 28 year wait for new oil and gas fields,
The biggest myth is that of a ‘phase change’ by the fossil fuel industry. In reality, it is nothing more than a delaying tactic. Despite his pro-climate rhetoric, geopolitical instability is actually in his best interest. After all, what always happens with global uncertainty? high oil prices.
In fact, it makes sense for responsible businesses to be part of the solution, not the problem. Private enterprise is unique in having the skills, resources and – clearly – the commercial incentive to develop and deploy innovative clean technology at scale. And this is the change our customers want to see: 87 percent of Europeans think “the EU should invest extensively in renewable energy such as solar and wind”.
The companies are uniquely poised to drive growth in clean energy solutions by pushing the boundaries of technology through their purchasing power and innovation. For example, Danish former fossil fuel company Ørsted is looking to achieve part of its goal of net zero by 2040. Committed to reducing 10 percent of its low-carbon production concrete by 2030, Similarly, in Patagonia we are developing a carbon credit system to finance the conversion of our most polluting factories. Every employee and every business leader has the power to make their business part of the solution.
To reach a real solution, however, policy makers across Europe need to be positive partners in this work. A green transition requires a synergy of government policy and industry practice. We are far away from such a scenario today. Just look at the renewables sector: It currently takes four times longer to license a wind farm than it does to build one. Little wonder then that the energy transition is proving so long.
Breaking the toxic mix of vested interests, myths and policies of the fossil-fuel age will not be easy. But we have to break it.
Breaking the toxic mix of vested interests, myths and policies of the fossil-fuel age will not be easy. But we have to break it. New analysis from Amber shows EU renewables target needs to be increased to 50 per cent EU countries to avoid additional €48 billion in gas costs in 2030, compared to 40 percent of the Fit For 55 target. Radical change may sound like a curious path to sustainability, but only rapidly removing fossil fuels from the energy mix could give Europe the forward-looking economies and stable future we all so desperately desire. To get there, responsible businesses and governments must raise our ambitions and commit to taking us forward, not backward.