Archive for category: Aktuell DE

1.5 ^oC global warming have been passed – and 2.0 ^oC are in sight
In 2023 global warming was 1.5 °C. In 2024 that rose to 1.6 °C – without being an „El Niño“ year. And global CO₂ emis­sions increased in 2024 instead of decreasing. In other words, the Paris Agreement’s objective of limiting global warming to 1.5 °C has not been met. It is „high noon“ for staying below the 2.0 °C threshold.

Turbocharging 100% Renewables – Measures and practicality
In order to stay below 2.0 °C, the transition to 100% renewable energy needs to be turbocharged with the measures shown below. While that may sound like wishful thin­king in the current political environment – the examples in italics show: it is within reach.

• Complete stop of investment in fossil fuel drilling, distribution and use. In 2024, global investment in renewable energy was 2 trillion USD, and only 1 trillion USD in fossil energy. In other words, we are already 2/3 of the way there.
• Make investment in renewable energy even more profitable and easy – and increase capacity decisively. Since 2000, CO₂ emissions have fallen by 30% in the EU und 20% in the USA. If we increase the rate of growth in wind and PV, achieved in 2023 vs. 2022, by only 50%, there will be enough renewable energy in 12 years to meet the world’s pri­mary ener­gy demand with transition to electric vehicles and heat pump heating. Also, current global PV manufacturing capacity is almost 3-times the current capacity growth: the production capacity for a decisive rapid ramp-up is there.

For broad and sustained political and social support for that course of action, the transformation needs to be:

• profitable and easy for many. That creates broad support and mobilizes the required, substantial amounts of private capital for the transition. Where necessary, subsidies and other governments payments provide additional protection from net income losses in the transition for the nations’ lower income groups. The new “Roadmap CO₂-neutral Germany” of the EWG shows: even in Germany, that has limited solar radiation and only moderate wind resources, 100% renewable energy is achievable by 2035 – profitably for citizens and businesses, without disadvantages for low income households and without increasing public debt. In addition, GNP increases by 100 bn USD per year or 2.5%. We are certain, the similar attractive and fact-based pathways to 100% renewable energy can be developed and implemented for most G20 countries.
• accompanied with mandates for continuous transition to renewable energy and technologies. The EU and UK have mandated no few fossil fuel vehicles by 2035. In Germany, fossil fuel heating above a given age needs to be exchanged with renewable heating.
• in cooperation with China, both the main CO₂ emitter by far and a leader in clean tech know-how and production capacity. On the other hand, the G20 need to maintain and aggressively grow their own clean tech industrial base for resilience and acceleration of renewable capacity growth. The IRA in the United State and the recent decisions of the EU to aim for 40% and more EU content in clean tech procurement show ways to expand domestic clean tech production capacities. The nuclear disarmament initiated in the 1990s goes to show that even global rivals can cooperate to achieve common goals.

Even if we do not contain global warming at or below 2.0 °C: every avoided ton of CO₂ emission, each 0.1 °C of global warming that is avoided reduces human suffering and economic cost, strengthens social cohesion and national security.

In 2025, the Energy Watch Group will contribute to disseminating and forming these measures internationally and in Germany.

How can the climate movement contribute?
The slow progress at the COP and other international climate conferences, the lower political-media relevance of reaching net zero vs. immediate economic objectives in the EU and Trump’s presidency have clearly disillusioned the climate movement. Now, it is upon the climate movement and its NGOs to

• also address the value of climate action for economic and other self-interests – and show that the supposed conflict of climate vs. economics is often not based in fact. Where there is a conflict, it should be acknowledged – and solved if possible.
• Engage with voters, journalists and decision makers outside of the “climate bubble”. Also having economic and other self-interest reasons for climate action will help convincing members of these groups.

In 2025, the Energy Watch Group will support the climate movement in doing that.

Cooling the earth back down by 1.0 ^oC
To cool the earth back down by 1.0 °C, today’s 425 ppm CO₂-concentration in the atmosphere needs to be lowered to at least 350 ppm. That means removing at least 600 billion (giga-tons) of CO₂ from the atmosphere. The main currently available means for removing CO₂ from the atmosphere are:

• using technology via Direct Air Capture and Storage (DACS)
• land based photosynthesis, e.g. reactivating marshland, increasing humus content in agricultural soils, reforestation inland or in coastal mangrove swamps and increasing plant ground cover in arid areas.
• Maritime photosynthesis, mainly cultivating and harvesting macro algae.

In 2025, the Energy Watch Group will research these options in more depth.

Photocredit: Christel at Pixabay.