The International Energy Agency presented today its annual World Energy Outlook for 2008. It is scary stuff to read. Their main observations can be found in the fact-sheets (.pdf).
The report says:
“These trends highlight the extent of the challenge of securing the supply of reliable and affordable energy and effecting a rapid transition to a low-carbon, efficient and environmentally benign energy system. The Reference Scenario, characterised by rising energy prices, increased import dependence and rising greenhouse-gas emissions, is unsustainable – environmentally, economically and socially. Achieving a more secure, low-carbon energy system calls for radical action by governments at national and local levels, and through participation in co-ordinated international mechanisms.”
And it concludes:
“Time is running out and the time to act is now”
Other quotes from the presentation.
On political action:
“It is within the power of all governments, of producing and consuming countries alike, acting alone or together, to steer the world towards a cleaner, cleverer and more competitive energy system”
“Galvanising these investments [of the world GDP] would require clear price signals (including a broad-based, efficient carbon market) appropriate fiscal incentives and well-targeted regulation”
On the biggest greenhouse gas emitters:
“Any agreement will need to take into account the importance of a handful of major emitters. The five largest emitters of energy-related CO2 – China, the United States, the European Union, India and Russia – together account for almost two thirds of global CO2-emissions”
“The contributions to emissions reduction made by China and the United States will be critical to reaching a stabilisation goal. The scale of reduction in energy-related emissions by country or region varies markedly with different levels of international participation”
And finally on the global Climate change conference in Copenhagen December 2009:
“Strong, co-ordinated action is needed urgently to curb growth in greenhouse gas emissions and the resulting rise in global temperatures. The post-2012 global climate-change policy regime that is expected to be established at the Copenhagen conference in 2009 will provide the international framework for that action”
I am very happy to see that the Climate Change issue is also on the Jordanian agenda although Jordan is not a major emitter. On the other hand Jordan will probably suffer from the consequences of climate change (less rainfall etc.) if we don’t act now. The new energy policy will – when implemented with focus on renewable energy and energy conservation – contribute positively and the recent conferences sponsored by the Ministry of Environment will help keeping this issue high on the agenda. Even though climate change is a global challenge it is also an opportunity for Jordan to advance up the low carbon road.
