Publications I Conferences I Uranium Scarcity I Economic Viability of Hydrogen

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Dear Colleagues and Friends,

with summer arriving in the northern hemisphere, it is time for our quarterly update. Meanwhile, the world has become a different place. Russia’s war in Ukraine and the EU’s inability to decide on a complete boycott of Russian energy, thus depriving the Russian war machine of funding, shows us in the most brutal way what a disastrous geopolitical situation our fossil dependence has plunged us into. Climate and security policy have never been more closely linked.

At the same time, the latest IPCC report warns more urgently than ever that any further delay in concerted global action will miss a brief and rapidly closing window to secure a liveable future. It reveales that many impacts of the climate crisis will be more severe than predicted and that there is only a narrow chance left of avoiding its worst ravages. The IPCCs findings are that devastating that António Guterres, the UN secretary general, called the latest report “an atlas of human suffering and a damning indictment of failed climate leadership”.

As if that bleakest warning wasn´t enough, the World Meteorological Organization issued a climate update last month stating there is a 50% chance of reaching the 1.5 °C limit of the Paris Agreement no later than 2026 – and the likelihood is increasing with time. The chance of temporarily exceeding 1.5°C has risen steadily since 2015, when it was close to zero.  For the years between 2017 and 2021, there was a 10% chance of exceedance. That probability has increased to nearly 50% for the 2022-2026 period.And still global leaders are falling short on cutting climate-warming emissions. There still is a yawning gap between international climate pledges and commitments and collective climate action. On the one hand, climate and energy policy are more present in public discourse than ever before and numerous legislative packages have recently been put together at both the federal and EU level to accelerate the socio-ecological transformation. On the other hand, today’s activities and current policies have the world on track to warm by about 3 °C long before the end of the century. Which means, our focus now must be on accountability. We´re in the delivery phase and we definitely have no more time to lose.

A current example of this political cognitive dissonance is the fuel discount introduced by the German government two weeks ago. While the G7 countries have agreed to end fossil fuel subsidies, the German government is implementing a fossil fuel subsidy in the form of a fuel tax cut, which was supposed to relieve the financial burden on car drivers due to rising energy prices but completely failed in achieving this goal and merely increases the profits of the mineral oil companies instead.

What is becoming clear to us in the face of these mutually fueling global crises is that our work for the energy transition and a zero-emissions world is more important than ever. Only with 100% renewable energies, we will succeed in solving these complex crises of our time in a concerted manner, instead of playing them off against each other.

In this Newsletter you find an overview of what the EWG has accomplished in this second quarter of 2022.  Additionally, we present two recent academic publications on uranium and hydropower, that are closely linked to the results of previous EWG studies.

Particularly, this edition covers:

  • New publications on wind power, bioenergy, Swiss energy policy and biofuel
  • EWG presence at important Energy & Climate Conferences
  • Team Update
  • Uranium scarcity
  • Cost competitiveness of Power-to-Gas-systems

…and much more.

With that, we let you get right to it and wish you a wonderful summer!

Enjoy the reading!

Your EWG Team

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February Newsletter

Annual Report | Recent Studies | Doomsday Glacier | The Concept of „Net Zero“

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Dear Colleagues and Friends,

as the first month of the new year has already come to a close, we would like to take the opportunity and wish you all a belated happy, successful and healthy new year.

We know that it’s been a while since you received our last newsletter, but we have not stood still in the meantime and with a new year 2022 we would like to share with you an update on our last months of work for the energy transition.

With two new studies published and two new members for our EWG team in Berlin,  the last quarter of the year 2021 has been very succcessful and exciting for us. Speaking of our achievements of the last year, we are very pleased to announce that our Annual Report 2021 is now available here.

Looking outside the walls of our office, it seems like the imminent threat of climate change is becoming increasingly prominent in the global community. Last year’s COP in Glasgow and accompanying climate protests by Fridays For Future definitely helped to bring the crisis into sharp focus and climate has been on the agenda of many media outlets more than before.

The  much-noted movie “Don’t Look Up” with Leonardo DiCaprio and Meryl Streep further showcases the trend of increasing attention to Climate Change in the broader society. Finally, the World Economic Forum manifests this feeling with the publication of their latest annual survey on perceived global risks. The Climate Crisis and its consequences account for five out of the top ten most urgent risks faced by society – releasing Covid-19 from first place this year.

Sadly, even though the Climate Crisis seems to be on everyone’s mind, governments and big corporations still don’t let their actions match their rhetoric. Greenwashing equally seems to be more present than ever.  The latest example is the EU Taxonomy that is very likely to label fossil gas and nuclear energy as ‘sustainable’, making way for increased private investment in both technologies and thereby obstructing an effective energy transition.

Nevertheless, we optimistically look forward to this new year 2022, in which we expect climate protection and the energy transition to continue to gather further momentum. For our part, we have already planned numerous exciting projects, which we will of course keep you informed about.

This months edition covers:

  • Two new EWG studies on renewable energies 
  • EWG Team additions
  • Experts raise alarms about cracking Antarctic ice shelf 
  • Potential and constraints of „net zero“ as a frame of reference for climate action

With that, we let you get right to it and wish you a wonderful week!

Enjoy the reading!

Your EWG Team

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Summer Newsletter: How To Get to NetZero in 15 Years, Methane Emissions in Siberia, 100RE Pathways & more

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Dear Colleagues and Friends,
It’s been a while since you heard from us, but now we’re back: We probably don’t need to remind you of the destructing extreme weather events that have occurred all over the world in these last months. The pictures of deadly fires and devatstating floods are still in all of our heads. Sadly, we cannot offer much consolation for those hoping that this summer was an exception. If humanity lets Climate Change proceed, we will face more and more summer months with devastating heat waves and/or heavy rainfall.

The IPCC has recently confirmed this once again. In the first chapter of their latest assessment report, it was made clear that human actions have “unequivocally caused” this situation of global heating and if we don’t act soon, the consequences will become much dearer. The third chapter, which lays out ways of reducing human influence on the climate, is set to be released early next year. However, Scientist Rebellion, the academic branch of Extinction Rebellion, leaked a draft version of this chapter before it can be watered down in negotiations with government representatives, as was common practice with previous IPCC reports. To no one’s surprise, the leak suggests radical changes in economic patterns, particularly for higher income consumers.

With climate change, time is of the essence, now more than ever. The next few years may be the last ones, to still induce the drastic change in emissions that is needed to remain within 1.5°C of planetary heating. When the next election is ahead in your country, remember to vote for a party with a solid plan to solve the Climate Crisis. In Germany, Canada and Norway elections are taking place this year still. Let’s make them count!

Our summer newsletter is dedicated to updating you on our activities in the last two months and sharing new climate science with you.

Particularly, this edition covers:

With that, we let you get right to it and wish you a good start into fall season.

Enjoy the reading!

Your EWG Team

European Fossil Gas Manifesto | Sustainable Megacities | Green Ammonia

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Dear Colleagues and Friends,

The month of June is over and summer has arrived in the northern hemisphere. Above all else this means that various places in the world face renewed heat waves, demonstrating yet again that climate change is well under way and its consequences are devastating. Unprecedented temperature highs in the Pacific North-West of Canada and the USA have people struggling with droughts and heat-related deaths. More wildfires than ever are to be expected in these and many other regions.

At the same time, it still does not seem like state leaders or the international community have grasped the urgency of the situation: Global GHG emissions have reached, and in some places, such as China, surpassed the pre-pandemic level, 600 new coal plants are planned by 5 Asian countries alone, and the energy transition is not progressing at the necessary speed.

Nor did the G7, who met mid-June to discuss pressing international issues like COVID-19 and Climate Change, make any substantial progress in their plans to fight the climate crisis. In fact, they failed yet again to deliver any concrete strategies to limit global warming to 1.5°C. They were not even able to uphold previous commitments to climate finance for the Global South. All in all, it was another rather empty Summit.

Our Newsletter this month addresses to a large part our own achievements and news about our activities. Additionally, we present three recent academic articles on varying topics related to the global energy transition.

This month’s edition covers:  

With that, we let you get right to it and wish you a happy & healthy month of July.

Enjoy the reading!

Your EWG Team

100% Renewable Energy for Germany | Climate Activism | (No) Future for Coal

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Dear Colleagues and Friends,

In the last week of May we published our latest study about a potential path for Germany to reach 100% renewable energies until 2030. Our calculations show that it is both feasible and economically advantageous for Germany to be powered entirely by renewables. The study is featured in our very first article this month, so you cannot miss it!

In other news, the month of May witnessed a crucial leap forward from the side of the International Energy Agency (IEA), usually not known for their progressive stance on renewable energies. In a report called “NetZero by 2050” the IEA outlines the, in their view, most important steps to a Net Zero world, for the first time acknowledging the feasibility necessity of bringing emissions to (close to) zero. While their stance is still by far not ambitious enough, this report is a big step in the right direction.

Moreover, this month was a devastating one for Big Oil. Exxon is coming under increasing pressure from climate activist shareholders, now holding two seats of the companies’ executive board. Additionally, the groundbreaking ruling over Shell’s responsibility to adhere to the Paris Agreement is still and will continue to create a stir in the landscape of oil companies (more details in our article on climate activism).

Moreover, this month’s edition covers:

With that, we let you get right to it and wish you a happy & healthy June.

Enjoy the reading!


Your EWG Team

Methane Emissions on the Rise | Fossil Bankers | A (not so) Green Recovery

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Dear Colleagues and Friends,

The month of April is already over and next to the latest news on vaccinations and COVID-19 rules, which most of the world is still grappling with, we picked up on a few stories about energy and climate, that we want to share with you.

First of all, in a historic decision, the German federal constitutional court declared the country’s current climate law insufficient to effectively protect future generations from climate change. As a consequence, the government now must adapt its current targets, providing for clear measures from 2030 onwards. The court therewith indirectly affirms that Germany’s carbon budget will be essentially diminished by 2030, indirectly stating that any emissions after this date will jeopardise the 1.5°C target. To what extent the government will adapt its climate policies, remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: This ruling provides enormous momentum for the national climate movement and its impact will spread far beyond Germany’s borders.

In other news, on April 22nd, we celebrated Earth Day. Under the motto #RestoreEarth, we collectively remembered that it is our duty to protect the environment and the climate on our home, planet Earth. In the spirit of Earth Day, US president Biden held a virtual Climate Summit, hosting many of our world’s leaders, where he announced to cut CO2 emissions in the US by 50% until 2030. The summit and its (lack of) outcomes has caused frustration among climate activists from Fridays For Future and alike, who have long been demanding more ambitious goals in order to actually achieve what was agreed on in Paris, in 2015.

Moreover, this month’s edition covers:

With that, we let you get right to it and wish you a happy & healthy month of May.

Enjoy the reading!


Your EWG Team

The End of Nuclear Energy | #NoECT – a Dangerous Treaty | Zero Emissions for Japan

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Dear Colleagues and Friends,

With the end of March, the year 2021 is entering springtime, at least in Europe. We hope that more daylight and more sunshine will lift you up in these tough times and finally bring this pandemic to an end. We are hopeful that better times lie ahead of us!

Sadly, the same thing cannot be said about climate change. States are still not setting targets ambitious enough to limit global warming to 1.5C° threatening the threshold of dangerous climate tipping points. Let us fill you in on how the Energy Watch Group has been working this month to accelerate political action towards renewable energy and climate protection:

This month has been marked by the 10-year anniversary of the tragic nuclear accident in Fukushima. We have dedicated two articles of our newsletter to the discussion around nuclear energy, focusing on why it cannot be considered a climate solution and what we should do instead. For those of you who are interested in Japan’s future energy supply, check out the article on how the island state can become climate neutral by 2050.

Besides that, we’re covering the following topics:

Lastly, we celebrated International Women’s Day on March 8th! It is important to keep in mind that also the climate and energy sector suffers from a severe underrepresentation of women. Let’s work together to change that. Shout-out to all of you out there, fighting for gender equality and climate action!

Enjoy the reading!

Your EWG Team

Climate Neutrality | Companies in Transition | Joint Declaration 100RE

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Dear Colleagues and Friends,

The shortest month of the year also brings our shortest newsletter. Our special February edition solely focuses on the EWG’s achievements. Be assured, this won’t make this newsletter any less interesting, since the three featured articles will cover some the most of the most pressing issues of climate and energy politics:

With these topics we will leave you to it and hope that you will be able to enjoy the first sunny days of early spring wherever you might read this. We will see you back in one month with a regular newsletter.

Your EWG Team

Climate Adaptation | Gender & the Energy Transition | Solar Revolution in Vietnam

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Dear Colleagues and Friends,

First of all, we’re sorry, this newsletter comes seven days late. But we’re still at the beginning o the year and this newsletter is still worth reading! Let‘ start: 2021 marks the beginning not only of a new year and new decade but hopefully also the beginning of humanity winning the fight against COVID-19. But even though there is still a pandemic going on, along with activists worldwide we cannot stop raising awareness for the other big emergency that is threatening our survival – climate change. We hope this year will be one of bold and ambitious climate action ending successfully with COP26 in Glasgow.

Sadly this first month has already provided an example of the opposite: Gazprom presented the company’s energy strategy to the Russian president and it’s full of fossil fuel expansion projects for gas. These are bad news, or as our President, Hans-Josef Fell put it: “From a climate protection perspective, one gets sick of it.” Nevertheless, we have to work on a better, and increasingly renewable future.

But now let’s get into the newsletter. This month it’s going to cover a broad bouquet of topics from climate adaptation, to gender inequality and role models from the far East and much more. Their connections to the energy transition might not always be obvious to you, but trust us, once you read through the articles, they will become clear.

Enjoy the reading!

Your EWG Team

Community Energy | Energy Charter Treaty | Green Recovery | Shortcomings of RE Auctions

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Dear Colleagues and Friends,

The year is finally coming to a close and everyone’s work schedules are calming down. For us, however, December was a very busy month full of projects and publications. In fact, we have so many of our own projects we want to share with you that this is not going to be a regular newsletter where we highlight developments in the field of renewable energy. Instead, it will only focus on how we’ve been active:

We wish you all happy holidays should you choose to celebrate them or at least a relaxing winter break and a happy and healthy new year. We will see you back in January with a regular newsletter.

Your EWG Team