The Global Impact Investing Network’s Post

Last week I enrolled in Global Energy and Climate Policy, a course on Coursera taught by the University of London. In the first week, I learned so much about the future of fossil fuels in a carbon-constrained world. Here are my key takeaways from what I've learned in the first week: - The global economy relies heavily on fossil fuels which means they will continue to be in the energy mix in the coming years. - There's a need to collectively transition to carbon-free energy sources. - Clean energy sources such as wind and solar are getting better everyday, but they're not there yet. - There are existing solutions to mitigate excess carbon production, the one I find interesting is Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). - Phasing out fossil fuels will take time, we can reduce their impact on the climate through efficient use of energy I also read about some of the existing policies and targets set to mitigate fossil fuel usage it's impact on climate change. #Energy #ClimateChange #Policy

In this week’s Newsletter: Scotland’s Energy Transition: Research and Policy Challenges Experts from UKERC, ClimateXChange (CXC) and partners will be presenting their latest research in the context of current and future energy policy on 3 October in Edinburgh, Scotland. Video: Where Next for SMEs and Net Zero? Watch the recording of our recent webinar where we presented a two-year UKERC study of the governance of SMEs and net zero in the UK. It outlines the implications of these trends for governance actors. Chaired by UKERC’s Will Eadson, speakers include UKERC’s Sam Hampton and SME Climate Hub’s Pamela Jouven. Four Crucial Climate Targets the New UK Government Should Adopt Immediately The UK lacks a credible pathway to meet its climate targets, but a report from the Climate Evidence Unit at the University of Leeds suggests setting four specific goals: limit emissions and carbon removal to 50 million tonnes annually, reduce energy demand by 40%, and use less than 10% fossil fuels by 2050. These measures aim to strengthen the UK's net zero strategy. By John Barrett OBE. Plus as always a selection of jobs, funding and some exciting events for your diary: http://bit.ly/3Mwffyz

How will the world produce more, cleaner energy? Journalist and analyst Richard Black sets out a vision for the future which could benefit us all. Coal, oil and gas provide four-fifths of the energy that powers our modern world. But continuing to burn them will mean wrecking the only planet we have. Is there a way out? In The Future of Energy, journalist and analyst Richard Black argues that there is, and that the transition to a clean energy world is already underway. He shows that with just five key technologies we can replace the burning of fossil fuels almost entirely, as quickly as society decides. Doing so will do much more than halt climate change. The transition will bring cheaper energy, cleaner air and more jobs. It will remove some of the factors behind oppression, injustice and conflict. And it is supported by an overwhelming majority of the world’s population. This may not be the story of energy that you hear most about from politicians, business leaders and journalists, but it is the one that matters. Also available in the FUTURES series: The Future of the Self by Joanna Nadin The Future of Songwriting by Kristin Hersh The Future of Trust by Ros Taylor The Future of War Crimes Justice by Chris Stephen The Future of Wales by Rhys Thomas https://amzn.to/4fPNe2k

Snowy weekend in Denver. Perfect day to enjoy a game of football on mute (whatever version you prefer - I'm not judgy) and contemplate ... energy and climate data! (And analyses thereof!) ICY are not aware, check out this site https://impactlab.org/ on climate impact scenarios. E.g. click on 'impact map', then show me: 'mortality costs', and then under: 'high emissions', visualize impacts throughout the century for the US and the world. The regional differentials are remarkable, especially at the global level. At the same time, recall how energy flow charts (see https://lnkd.in/gWxhSvaS for most recent for US from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory; global update forthcoming at https://lnkd.in/gC7idPSK from International Energy Agency (IEA)🤞) illustrate the dominance of carbon-based forms of energy. So OTOneH, our current energy mix combined with a compelling argument for an #energytransition suggests many opportunities for investment in #renewables and #commodities critical to a renewable energy supply chain. But OTOtherH, incentives for such a transition will be critically dependent on public policy. It's the mother of all collective action problems!

One of the themes Peter Tertzakian and I identified in our 2023 lookback themes #ARCEnergyIdeas podcast was that the International Energy Agency (IEA) had crossed the line from being an honest broker of energy data to a climate advocate --- see similar arguments from Bob McNally Rapidan Energy Group  --- Bob lays out the risks of believing in IEA’s “imaginary” net zero scenario and not planning for a realistic future #energyshortage. In my view, it is also counterproductive to solving the climate challenge because people believe the world is on track #netzero when it is not, and therefore, they do not develop climate solutions and plans for a world that will consume more hydrocarbons #CCS #DAC #geoengineering https://lnkd.in/gjnYE8P9

There exists a delicate balance between exploring ambitious blue-sky scenarios and presenting forecasts grounded in realistic assumptions. In my perspective, prioritizing an accurate forecast is crucial for informed decision-making, with scenarios serving as valuable sensitivities. It's imperative to clearly distinguish scenarios, labeling those built on unrealistic assumptions that fall short of meeting essential economic criteria.

“But let’s be clear. Both the International Energy Agency and the IPCC have stated unequivocally that in order to achieve net-zero emissions in time to halt global heating at a relatively safe level, the development of new oil and gas fields must cease immediately. Both have also stated, unequivocally, that to have even a 50–50 chance to halt global heating at the Paris target of 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) by 2100, existing fossil energy infrastructure must be retired before the end of its expected lifetime…. The truth is that solar power and storage actually maintains grid reliability in extreme weather. In both the 2022 and 2023 Texas heat waves, grid operators needed to pause fossil energy generation so that coal and gas plants could cool down; what kept the lights on and lifesaving air conditioning units humming was solar power, both generated directly and stored in batteries. And dozens of scholars at European universities and American institutions like Stanford and Princeton have modeled how to supply all of our nation’s power with 100 percent renewable energy.” - Genevieve Guenther, “an author and founding director of End Climate Silence. Her next book, The Language of Climate Politics, is forthcoming from Oxford University Press.”

Thought provoking day at the New Statesman Energy and Climate Change Conference. Main reflection for me was that it really highlighted how interconnected the different issues are - whether the debate was about infrastructure, energy security, or consumers and home decarbonisation, the discussion invariably comes back to some common themes: importance of policy certainty and clarity, a need for focus on skills and supply change, and thinking about how to align affordability and pace of investment. Also great to catch up with so many clients and new & old contacts from across the sector. #NSEnergy

Energy Markets: Planning for the future 🌟📝 📝 Highlights: The end of the European five-year term and the start of the new year have the climate community thinking about the upcoming period. Euractiv has you covered on the key debates in Brussels. 🔗 Read more: https://lnkd.in/eMcSvPNQ 🌐 Visit: www.energycompact.com 🔍 Join the Energy Compact: https://lnkd.in/eHY7D3jT #Comment and share your views. 🗨️ #energy #markets #newsletter

2023 - peak global carbon emissions from energy use 2024 - the beginning of a clean energy based global economy https://lnkd.in/e9HNcjbs