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Factory chimneys in the Ruhr area: drastic change of course necessary
Photo: Jonas Güttler / picture alliance / dpa
On the way to climate neutrality by 2050, the International Energy Agency believes that far-reaching changes will be necessary in the next ten years.
IEA Director Fatih Birol spoke at a video conference Monday of unprecedented efforts.
The corona crisis could be a "catalyst" for the more climate-friendly restructuring of the energy system.
Birol also called on companies to continue investing in the renovation despite the crisis - investments had fallen this year.
He also pointed out public packages to cushion the effects of the pandemic and promote future technologies.
Climate protection plays a major role in the EU's billion-dollar program, but not in the USA.
The International Energy Agency had already presented its "World Energy Outlook" three weeks ago, and explanations in individual countries will follow in the following weeks.
According to this, the consumption of oil and coal as well as energy-related CO2 emissions will decrease worldwide this year.
According to Birol, energy consumption worldwide will not reach the level before the crisis until 2023.
Resolute measures required worldwide
The EU, but also countries like Japan, have set themselves the goal of becoming "climate neutral" by the middle of the century.
Then all greenhouse gases should be avoided or stored.
On the way there, the EU wants to drastically tighten the climate target for 2030, with the aim of reducing greenhouse gases.
In order for CO2 emissions to drop by 40 percent by 2030, the share of electricity from wind and sun would have to increase massively, as would the number of electric cars, according to the Energy Agency.
The general manager of the BDEW energy association, Kerstin Andreae, said that more decisive measures were required worldwide in order to achieve climate targets.
Additional efforts are needed from other major economic powers.
“In addition to the EU, this also applies in particular to the USA and India.” Andreae also referred to a study by the BDEW from the summer, according to which investments of 320 billion euros would be necessary for the energy transition in Germany alone by 2030.
This could make a huge contribution to economic growth.
The energy expert of the Federal Association of German Industry, Carsten Rolle, said that investments in the energy sector had declined by around 18 percent worldwide this year due to the corona crisis.
Only a few countries would have compensated for this decline with government programs.
"The gap in climate policy action threatens to widen between Europe and some industrialized countries in Asia compared to the majority of countries in the world. This endangers the necessary closer international cooperation."
The EU in particular must ensure that the "Green Deal" climate program maintains industrial value creation despite this gap.
State Secretary for Economic Affairs Andreas Feicht said that the World Energy Outlook 2020 rightly emphasized that cleverly designed energy policy measures are now necessary - to put the world on the path to a "resilient energy system" that can achieve climate targets.
European and international networking is indispensable for change.
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