Worldwatch Experts Discuss Renewables at COP17 in Durban, South Africa
Panels and press briefing will address solutions to increase global access to energy, the role natural gas will play in powering a low-carbon economy, and sustainable-energy strategies in India and around the world
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At the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, informally known as the Earth Summit, 154 countries signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). By ratifying this treaty, these signatories demonstrated their commitment to stabilizing greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere. As of May 2011, the treaty had an additional 40 parties.
Since 1995, the parties to the convention have met annually in Conferences of the Parties (COP) to evaluate their progress in combating climate change. This year’s event, COP17, will bring government representatives, international organizations, and civil society leaders to Durban, South Africa. Here, attendees will work to advance the mandates of the original Convention and 1997’s Kyoto Protocol, and further develop various COP action plans implemented in previous years.
Alexander Ochs and members of the Worldwatch Climate and Energy team will participate in several events at the conference. Ochs and his team recently spent several months traveling to various Caribbean islands, helping them charter a new road to a clean-energy economy. At various briefings and panels, they will offer insights from their experiences on the ground advising the governments of these island nations.
The International Gas Union Panel on Natural Gas and a Low-Carbon Economy
When
Sunday, December 4 – 4:40 – 5:45 pm
Who
Dr. Datuk Abdul Rahim Hashim, President, International Gas Union
Dr. Jos Delbeke, Director-General, Directorate-General for Climate Action, European Commission
Hege Marie Norheim, Senior Vice President of Corporate Climate, Statoil
Gérard Moutet, Vice President of Climate and Energy, TOTAL
Dr. Gerald Linke, Senior Vice President of Competence Centre for Gas Technology and Energy Systems, E.ON Rhurgas
Brett Jarman, Executive Director, NGV Global
Adnan Amin, Director General, International Renewable Energy Agency
Saya Kitasei, Sustainable Energy Fellow, Worldwatch Institute
Where
Protea Hotel Edward, Durban, South Africa
On Sunday, December 4th, the International Gas Union will host a panel on the role natural gas will play in mitigating climate change, powering a low-carbon economy, and facilitating universal access to energy. Worldwatch’s Saya Kitasei, a Sustainable Energy Fellow, will draw upon past research to report on potential synergies between natural gas and renewable energy in the power sector, as well as life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions from natural-gas-fired electricity.
Expert Discussions: Sustainable Energy Strategies in India
When
Monday, December 5 – 1:00 – 1:30 pm
Who
Alexander Ochs, Director of Climate & Energy, Worldwatch Institute
Shakuntala Makhijani, India Program Manager, Worldwatch Institute
Where
TBD
On Monday, December 5th, the Worldwatch Institute will also host an informal roundtable discussion about sustainable energy strategies in India. Discussants will include Alexander Ochs and Worldwatch’s India Program Manager Shakuntala Makhijani.
Press Briefing – “How Long Until We Power the Globe with Renewables? Insights from REN21’s 2011 Global Status Report”
When
Tuesday, December 6 – 2:00-2:30 pm
Who
Christine Lins, Executive Secretary, REN21
Alexander Ochs, Director of Climate & Energy, Worldwatch Institute
Where
Room Kosi Palm, International Convention Center, Durban, South Africa
Renewable energy continues to gain ground. While annual growth in fossil fuels remains in the single digits and nuclear's share shrinks further, renewable energy sources are experiencing growth rates of up to 70 percent every year. Half of last year’s electric capacity additions were renewables. Today, renewables already account for 25 percent of total global power capacity and 20 percent of worldwide electricity production. The sector's undeterred growth has been a positive constant despite the economic recession and public finance crises in many parts of the world. Among the fastest-growing renewable energy markets in 2010 were China (up 26 percent), Germany (up 10.4 percent), and the United States (up 5 percent). For the first time, developing-country investments in renewables surpassed those in the developed world. The two main drivers of renewables' success are technological developments that make renewable energy sources more effective and less expensive, and supportive policies. Today, 119 countries have renewable energy targets or support policies, compared with only 55 in 2005.
On Tuesday, December 6th, Worldwatch and Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21) Executive Secretary Christine Lins will launch REN21’s annual Global Status Report, the most frequently referenced report on renewable energy policy and business since its first publication in 2005. The report serves a wide range of audiences from investors and government decision makers to students, project developers, researchers, and industrial manufacturers. At the briefing, speakers will present the latest numbers on alternative energy, discuss the United States’ performance in the global market, and explain what can be done on a state, federal, and international level to accelerate the transition to a green economy.
Press Briefing – “Bringing Power to the People: Roadmap to a Sustainable-Energy System”
When
Wednesday, December 7 – 11:00 – 11:30 am
Who
Alexander Ochs, Director of Climate & Energy, Worldwatch Institute
Where
Room Kosi Palm, International Convention Center, Durban, South Africa
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Informal Discussion: Challenges and New Opportunities Through Sustainable Energy Systems in Africa
When
Wednesday, December 7 – (Time TBD)
Who
Alexander Ochs, Director of Climate & Energy, Worldwatch Institute
Where
TBD
On Wednesday, December 7th, Ochs will host two events. In the morning, he will hold a press briefing entitled “Bringing Power to the People: A Roadmap to a Sustainable-Energy System,” in which he will draw upon his research and years of experience to provide clear prescriptions for a global clean-energy economy. Additionally, at a time still to be determined, he and the Climate & Energy team will host an informal discussion regarding new approaches to developing sustainable energy systems in Africa.
For more information on these events, please contact Xing Fu-Bertaux at xfu-bertaux@worldwatch.org or +27(0)726044033.
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About the Worldwatch Institute
Worldwatch is an independent research organization based in Washington, D.C., that works on energy, resource, and environmental issues. The Institute's State of the World report is published annually in more than 20 languages. For more information, visit www.worldwatch.org.