Ocean Conservancy’s Post

📣 New report released: Catalysing Offshore Wind in Developing Nations    Last week, Ocean Conservancy, in partnership with Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance (ORRAA), published a new report, “Catalysing Offshore Wind in Developing Nations: The Role of Concessional Finance”💡    Shamini Selvaratnam, associate director of international climate and clean energy at Ocean Conservancy and co-author of the report, emphasised, “Accelerating the transition to clean energy is crucial to addressing climate change and protecting the ocean. Our ocean holds powerful solutions that can help limit greenhouse gas emissions. We know that offshore wind, built responsibly, has the power to provide more than one-third of the globe’s power needs, but we must make affordable, equitable financing available to emerging and developing markets.” 🌎    Key insights from the report include:    •Concessional climate financing is essential to unlock offshore wind potential in emerging markets; •An estimated $15 billion in concessional climate financing could catalyse offshore wind deployment across 10 emerging market countries; •This financing could drive down the average Levelised Cost of Electricity (LCOE) from $100 per MWh to $70 per MWh.    📚 We invite you to read the full report to understand the current climate finance landscape, renewable energy financing avenues, and the transformative potential of concessional finance in accelerating the deployment of offshore wind projects in developing countries.     👉 https://lnkd.in/g5aJBXCH    #ORRAA #RenewableEnergy #OffshoreWind #CleanEnergy #ClimateAction 

In January, the WWF European Policy Office hosted a two-day event on the future of #offshorewind in the #EU. With our 👀 out on the #EUelections, here is what we would like decision-makers to take away from the discussion: 🚫 Stop subsidising fossil fuels and redirect funds to nature-friendly renewable energy projects for clean and affordable energy access. 👉 Have you checked out our new report on harmful subsidies? Spoiler alert: EU Member States spend billions of EU funds on activities that harm nature https://lnkd.in/epFTNmRp 🎯 Set targets to halve EU energy consumption by 2040 and achieve a 100% renewable energy system, focusing on well-planned deployment of wind and solar. 👉 In a state of #climateemergency, politicians dibble dabble on reaching net zero emissions https://lnkd.in/enkfA66u 🌊 Adopt an ambitions #EuropeanOceanDeal and align blue policies with the objectives of the European #GreenDeal. 👉 A joint manifesto to inspire EU political parties to boost their ambition in the face of the triple climate, biodiversity and pollution crises https://lnkd.in/eJRdZUxA 🌪 Make non-price criteria in wind project tenders compulsory and standardized across the EU while considering regional differences. 👉 Because it's not only about doing more, it's also about doing better https://lnkd.in/eWTCwiMf I am incredibly proud of having been part of the organising team alongside Arnaud Van Dooren, Florian Cassier and Larissa Milo-Dale. Thank you to all who participated and contributed to a great event, full of insightful discussions and food for thought. Another panda win! #togetherpossible 🐼 https://lnkd.in/ebdeBdtY #RenewableEnergy #EUOffshoreWind

As noted in the Ki Mua: Towards a just transition for the Pacific "A renewable energy transition for 8 Pacific countries would cost less than a billion US dollars—1/7th the amount of money that Australia gave to the fossil fuel industry in handouts and tax breaks in 2022-23 and less than 0.5% of the windfall profits the world’s top 5 fossil fuel companies made last year alone". Australia gives $11 billion in subsidies to fossil fuel companies that are making mega profits from trashing the planet and fuelling wars. https://lnkd.in/gs82YSMT.

📰 In their latest commentary, EPC's Brooke Moore and Simon Dekeyrel argue that "social dynamics and environmental factors further complicate the transition, with tensions arising between renewable energy expansion and nature conservation objectives, alongside diminishing public support for the Green Deal." Read the entire piece here 👇

Today’s Commission proposal to reduce emissions by 90% by 2040 will surely prompt a lively debate in the coming months - and interested in the position of the EU Council and EU Commission post-elections 😄. Speeding up the electrification process will strenghten the EU energy security and deliver clean, affordable energy, making our economies more resilient. However, the journey in front of us is still long and the next Commission will have to focus more on the social aspect as well. Reinforcing cross-border cooperation and integration of the different energy systems will be so critical, in order to maximise efficiencies and ultimately bring consumer costs down. Pleased to see the reference to the need for better cross border integration also with non-EU countries…offshore wind is going to play a major role in decarbonising our economy and a shared infrastructure across all the North Seas basin can only help!!

On North Sea Day we’re excited to present our key recommendations for the future of EU offshore wind 👉 https://lnkd.in/e6TQijEe WWF’s 2-day conference on nature-friendly deployment of #OffshoreWind with, among others, Belgian Minister for North Sea @PaulVanTigchelt explored how the EU can (and should) achieve its climate and nature goals. This is the advice that emerged: 🛑🛢️Stop subsidising fossil fuels! Instead, channel this money into nature-friendly renewables 🎯Set targets to halve energy use and reach a 100% renewable energy system by 2040 🌊Revise the EU Maritime Spatial Planning Directive 🐟Make non-price criteria mandatory in wind project tenders With the EU elections just three weeks away, we call on all prospective EU leaders to take a strong stand for nature-friendly energy. We CAN & MUST take climate action and #RestoreNature at the same time - for jobs, energy security, food supply chains and more! European Commission Renewables Grid Initiative The Greens/EFA in the European Parliament, Renew Europe WindEurope European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change World Wildlife Fund Ørsted European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) Belgian Offshore Platform Seacoop European Environment Agency Ministerie van Infrastructuur en Waterstaat Stichting De Noordzee Elia Group European Environmental Bureau Vattenfall Ocean Energy Europe Europêche UNEP/MAP-Barcelona Convention Kazuri Consulting Marie-Kell de Cannart

Deal or no deal? In the coming days the European Council will discuss what should be the strategic priorities in the next EU mandate from 2024-2029.   Along with more than 500 cross-sector organisations, we are urging EU leaders to confirm the Green Deal as a strategic priority in the next EU mandate in a joint statement. The EU Green Deal is the foundation of a competitive, secure, modern, and efficient Europe.   Our request is to prioritise decarbonising heat and to increase the share of renewable heat sources such as geothermal. This not only helps in achieving climate targets but also significantly contributes to energy security, competitiveness, and value creation in the EU.   Let’s not gamble on our future, let’s build it.   Read the full joint statement on this link 👉 https://lnkd.in/ePbQtgEe #GreenDealforEU

What is the Faroe Islands' plan for becoming carbon neutral? The inaccessible character of remote areas gives rise to specific barriers for implementing green energy solutions, but the Nordic islands and remote areas have also come a long way in their research and technology for being CO2-neutral. One of the islands playing a significant part in advancing green energy initiatives is the Faroe Islands, where Kári Mannbjørn Mortensen, Head of Department at Umhvørvisstovan, Environment Agency, is working to reduce emissions: "The arrows are now definitely pointing in the right direction with the major expansion of wind energy, pumped hydropower storage, conversion of heating from oil-fired boilers to heat pumps, electric cars, and the beginning electrification of industry on land and in maritime energy consumption." Mortensen is also the Faroese representative in the Net Zero Islands Network, a network funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers. The network is for actors working for sustainable energy solutions for islands and remote areas, and it aims to let the islands and isolated areas share knowledge, increase job opportunities, and investigate CO2-negative possibilities. Read the whole interview with Mortensen at: https://lnkd.in/dP5j72Sa Read more about the Net Zero Islands Network at: https://lnkd.in/ddrGE7hy The Nordic Council of Ministers and The Nordic Council Nordic Atlantic Cooperation (NORA) Shetland Islands Council The Scottish Government #Nordic #Energy #NetZero

The Alliance for Zero Carbon Heating (TAZCH) were pleased to make a submission to the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications’ consultation on the draft update to Ireland’s integrated National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP).   Within this response, we outlined that draft NECP is a continuation of the Government’s climate policies to date, which continue to overlook the immediate and significant potential of low carbon fuels for decarbonisation. As part of our consultation response, we recommended: ✅ Facilitating the uptake of low carbon fuels which offer significant emissions reductions in domestic heating. ✅ Strengthening the Renewable Heating Obligation as the proposed 2% target is a missed opportunity. We believe that a 20% renewable feedstock target by 2026 is achievable for the liquid fuels sector. ✅ A phased approach to retrofitting and heat pump installation supported by renewable fuels.    TAZCH believes that this approach will put Ireland on the path to achieving its climate goals. We look forward to further engagement on the National Energy and Climate Plan.   #RenewableHeating #Decarbonisation #RenewableFuels

Video available of our webinar last week, titled 'Where next for SMEs and Net Zero'. See link from UKERC below.