ENERGY
VISIONARY
POLICIES
NEEDED TO
MEET PARIS
CLIMATE
TARGETS
BRAD PAGE
CEO, Global CCS Institute
52
It is now clear that the outcome of
the Paris climate talks was a game
changer delivering a renewed global
commitment to addressing climate
change. No longer are we aiming to
limit global warming to 2°C. We are now
aspiring for well below that – perhaps
as low as 1.5°C. In the post-COP21
discussions, there has been a shift in
thinking from ‘how much do we do?’
to ‘how do we do so much?’
But the numbers are confronting.
The targets set by the countries signing
up to the Paris Agreement only put the
world on a track towards about 3OC.
We are already at 400 ppm of CO2 in
the atmosphere and on track to exceed
450 ppm.
Assuming that current and announced
climate policies are implemented, the
IEA forecasts that despite the extensive,
world-wide government support for
renewables and increasing energy
efficiency, fossil fuels are expected to
meet approximately 75% of primary
energy demand in 2040; down marginally
from the historic share of around 85%.
Concurrently, energy access in
developing countries is the path to
improved living standards. It is from
here that the vast majority of increased
fossil fuel usage will come along with an
associated lift in emissions unless there
are fundamental changes in approach.
There can be no doubt that visionary,
bold and innovative policy solutions are
necessary. It will also not be enough
to single out popular technologies for
support – and hope they will do the job.
That is the path the world has been on
for at least the past 2 decades and today
we are further away from our emission
objective in absolute terms than we were
those 20 years ago.
It is clear that renewables and energy
efficiency are vital. Support for them must
continue and their penetration scaled up
massively from today’s base. But in the
time available, this will not be enough.
Industrial processes account for 25%
of greenhouse gas emissions. Energy
efficiency is relevant but the main –