The world has only six months in which to change the course of the climate crisis and prevent a post-lockdown rebound in greenhouse gas emissions that would overwhelm efforts to stave off climate catastrophe, one of the world’s foremost energy experts has warned. “This year is the last time we have, if we are not to see a carbon rebound,” said Fatih Birol, executive director of the International Energy Agency. Governments are planning to spend $9tn (£7.2tn) globally in the next few months on rescuing their economies from the coronavirus crisis, the IEA has calculated. The stimulus packages created this year will determine the shape of the global economy for the next three years, according to Birol, and within that time emissions must start to fall sharply and permanently, or climate targets will be out of reach.
Guardian 18th June 2020 read more »
Plummeting carbon emissions and big government spending—two of the defining narratives of 2020 so far—could create an unprecedented opportunity for the world to meet the goals enshrined in the 2015 Paris climate change agreement, according to the International Energy Agency. With $1 trillion of investment over each of the next three years, global energy-related CO₂ emissions could end up falling in 2023 by 4.5.
Energy Voice 18th June 2020 read more »
After a drastic decline this spring, global greenhouse gas emissions are now rebounding sharply, scientists reported, as countries relax their coronavirus lockdowns and traffic surges back onto roads. It’s a stark reminder that even as the pandemic rages, the world is still far from getting global warming under control.
New York Times 17th June 2020 read more »
The Liberal Democrats have unveiled proposals to invest £150bn in green projects over three years as a way to transform the economy in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, warning that the government must act soon on the issue. Ed Davey, the party’s interim leader, said there was “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” to both tackle potential mass unemployment due to Covid-19, and reshape the economy on more environmental lines. Labour has also announced ideas to rebuild the economy with measures such as training young people to work in green industries. Davey said Boris Johnson appeared to have not yet grasped the urgency of the situation. Specific ideas include a so-called green jobs guarantee, giving people training in new, environmental industries such as renewable energy, insulating homes and rewilding projects, paid at least the national living wage. Another pledge would be for at least 80% of energy to be from renewable sources by 2030. Properly insulating homes was vital for meeting existing green targets, Davey said, and could rapidly create jobs, with many local authority projects renovating social housing ready to go ahead. This would create jobs in supply chains, and help with those most affected by fuel poverty, he said: “So there’s a big social win there too.”
Guardian 18th June 2020 read more »