Here are the news that caught my interest as the annual climate change conference, COP23, is currently taking place in Bonn, Germany.
Germany
Europe goes fast forward on climate
Over the past few weeks I collected a series of news on how the European Union is going fast forward on climate change. One can expect emissions will keep on decreasing in the near future, and this albeit the fact they are already 23 percent below their 1990 levels.
The European Union already cut its emissions by 23 percent
While the European Union officials – not ” leaders ” – keep on clinging to 20 % emissions reductions by 2020, the Union has already slashed its emissions by 23 percent. This is taking place ahead of the Paris Climate Conference later this year.
7.7 million people are now working in renewables
Last year I was reporting that we were 6.5 million people working in the Renewable Energy Industries. If I have – temporarily – left it, many more have joined as now this figure reaches 7.7 million people.
6.5 million people ( and I )
This is the amount of people that are currently working in the renewable energy industries according to a recent report from the IRENA (International Renewable Energy Agency )
Bioenergy ( everything from liquid biofuels to modern biomass and biogas ) have the largest contingency with 2.5 million people (with 1.4 million, 0.8 million and 0.3 million respectively)
Additionally 2.3 million people are working in the solar photovoltaic sector and 800 000 more work in the wind sector.
Germany sets new record on renewables
According to Think Progress : ” On Sunday, Germany’s impressive streak of renewable energy milestones continued, with renewable energy generation surging to a record portion — nearly 75 percent — of the country’s overall energy demand.” ” With wind and solar in particular filling such a huge portion of the country’s power demand, electricity prices actually … Read more
Global wind capacity grew by 12.5 % in 2013
To Enerdata ” global wind capacity increased by 12.5% in 2013, reaching 318,137 MW. During the year, 35,467 MW were installed worldwide, which is almost 10 GW below capacity additions in 2012. “
” US installations were badly impacted by a policy gap created by the US Congress in 2012; in Europe, installations grew by a modest 8%, and were pulled by two countries, Germany and the United Kingdom. “
” Installations soared in China (+16.1 GW, i.e. +21% to 91.4 GW), in Canada (+1.6 GW, i.e. +26%, to 7.8 GW) and in Australia (+655 MW, i.e. + 25%, to 3.2 GW). “
The energy transition already creates jobs
The energy transition from our model based on a huge majority of polluting fossil fuels to a model based on cleantech technologies such as energy efficiency and renewable energy sources will require a lot of money.
Indeed, we have seen recently that up to a trillion dollar would be needed every year to do so. The major advantage of doing so would be averting the worst of climate change, which would save our civilization.
Besides saving people from pollutions of all sorts, another added benefit – and not the least – would be staggering job creations. The proof in four parts.