* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Download norwegian national conference of energy, environment
Fossil fuel phase-out wikipedia , lookup
Surveys of scientists' views on climate change wikipedia , lookup
100% renewable energy wikipedia , lookup
Economics of global warming wikipedia , lookup
Global warming wikipedia , lookup
Public opinion on global warming wikipedia , lookup
Economics of climate change mitigation wikipedia , lookup
Climate governance wikipedia , lookup
Climate engineering wikipedia , lookup
Energiewende in Germany wikipedia , lookup
2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference wikipedia , lookup
German Climate Action Plan 2050 wikipedia , lookup
Solar radiation management wikipedia , lookup
Climate change in the United States wikipedia , lookup
Climate change and poverty wikipedia , lookup
Reforestation wikipedia , lookup
Climate change mitigation wikipedia , lookup
Climate-friendly gardening wikipedia , lookup
Carbon pricing in Australia wikipedia , lookup
Climate change feedback wikipedia , lookup
Climate change in Canada wikipedia , lookup
Decarbonisation measures in proposed UK electricity market reform wikipedia , lookup
Citizens' Climate Lobby wikipedia , lookup
Years of Living Dangerously wikipedia , lookup
IPCC Fourth Assessment Report wikipedia , lookup
Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme wikipedia , lookup
Biosequestration wikipedia , lookup
Low-carbon economy wikipedia , lookup
Politics of global warming wikipedia , lookup
Mitigation of global warming in Australia wikipedia , lookup
NORWEGIAN NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF ENERGY, ENVIRONMENT AND INDUSTRY. 2008/08/05 KEYNOTE SPEAKER: SENZENI ZOKWANA: ICEM PRESIDENT. 1 THE FUTURE OF FOSSIL ENERGY AS A FACTOR OF PRODUCTION – TOWARDS AN EQUITABLE AND CARBON NEUTRAL WORLD. • FOSSILS FUELS IN A CARBON NEUTRAL WORLD. 2 INTRODUCTION • Climate Change - the biggest challenge of our time. • Humanity - for the first time in its history is starring down the abyss of human extinction. • Humanity is on the edge of the abyss and needs to pull back . • Climate change is an urgent problem requiring global action to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases (GHGs). 3 Consequences of unmitigated climate change. The Stern Review Report. • climate change may well become a disaster not only for bio – diversity, Polar Regions, and the vulnerable poor like those in Sub – Sahara Africa, but for the global economy itself. • It is not a threat to the environment, but to civilisation itself. 4 CALL FOR ACTION • Confronting climate change depends, in many ways, on adopting new and sustainable energy strategies that can meet growing global energy needs while allowing for the stabilization of atmospheric CO2 concentrations at safe levels. • Support the greenhouse gas reductions targets set by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC 5 . • Keep the global temperature within two degrees Celsius and reducing gas emissions by 85 percent by 2050. • Drastic reduction of our climate footprint. 6 CURRENT STATE OF AFFAIRS • According to “Kick the Habit”, a UNEP publication, one of the main GHGS which humans add to the atmosphere, CO2, is increasing rapidly. • Of the 80% of climate gases emitted by human beings, 57% derives from fossil fuel use. • Around 1750, about the start of the industrial revolution in Europe, there were about 280 parts per million (ppm) of CO2 in the atmosphere, today it has topped 390 ppm CO2. 7 EMISSION BY GAS 8 . 9 . • A casual reading of the theme of my presentation, “fossil fuels’ future in a carbon neutral world” may therefore, immediately suggest a contradiction in terms. The terms “fossils fuels” and • “carbon neutral world” may seem mutually exclusive, and may suggest that they cannot co- exist. • In fact, quite the contrary, as scientific research has illustrated. 10 . HOW DE WE ARRIVE AT A CARBON NEUTRAL WORLD WHEN MUCH OF THE WORLD STILL DEPEND ON FOSSIL FUELS AS A FACTOR OF PRODUCTION. 11 DEFINITION OF TERMS • carbon neutral, or carbon neutrality, refers to neutral (meaning zero) total carbon release, brought about by balancing the amount of carbon released with the amount sequestered or offset. • Carbon Neutrality is a means towards Climate Neutrality – a state of net – zero impact, thus creating a climate neutral global economy . 12 . • A carbon neutral world is therefore not made possible only by fossils free, renewable energy options, but including such options as part of an energy mix between renewable and non renewable energy options. • Even with very strong expansion of the use of renewable energy and other low – carbon energy sources, fossil fuels could still make up over half of global energy supply in 2050. Coal will continue to be important in the energy mix around the world, including in fast growing economies. 13 . • Extensive carbon capture and storage will be necessary to allow the continued use of fossil fuels without damage to the atmosphere • A Carbon – Neutral World is also made possible through balancing, carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere from burning fossil fuels, with renewable energy that creates a similar amount of useful energy, so that the carbon emissions are compensated. 14 . • or alternatively using only renewable energies that don't produce any carbon dioxide ( a postcarbon economy) . • The transition to a climate neutral world, ( a post – carbon society) using only non renewable energy that does not produce any carbon dioxide is, for now, a distant dream that is however within the realm of possibility. • WE HAVE TO ACT NOW 15 . • Carbon Neutrality also describe the practice, of carbon offsetting, by paying others to remove or sequester 100% of the carbon dioxide emitted from the atmosphere, for example by planting trees – or by funding 'carbon projects' that should lead to the prevention of future greenhouse gas emissions, or by buying carbon credits to remove (or 'retire') them through carbon trading 16 . • This conference is therefore very important, not only in the context of this region of South West Norway, a region which has some of the country’s most important industrial clusters of energy, processing, and petro – maritime activities, but also in the context of the global crisis posed by climate change. 17 • The challenge for developed . countries such as Norway, lie in international co – operation and a commitment to climate mitigating factors as expressed in international framework agreements. • Key elements of such international agreements are: • • • • Emissions trading: Technology cooperation Action to reduce deforestation Adaptation 18 . • Strategic options for climate change mitigation Global cost curve for greenhouse gas abatement measures 19 . • The costs of taking action are obviously not evenly distributed across sectors or around the world, such as the cost of increased energy efficiencies, changes in demand, adoption of clean power, heat and transport technologies etc • The uptake of these strategic options will depend on a country’s stage of economic and social development, following the principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities”. • 20 AN EXAMPLE • South Africa’s reliance on coal, to generate electricity makes it one of the dirtier carbon emitters of CO2 and other greenhouse gases. • So this conference is very pertinent to our situation in South Africa. • South Africa has recently introduced Carbon Tax as well as a cap-and-trade system that will form part of the Government’s Climate Change policy. • The plan proposes to incentives renewable energy through feed – in tariff as well as set, as yet undefined, targets for electricity generated from renewable and nuclear sources within two decades. 21 CONCLUSION. WHO IS RESPONSIBLE? • it is the responsibility of both developed and developing countries, through the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, to mitigate rising GHGs emissions to below 2 degrees celsius. • A 80 percent reduction by developed countries by 2050 with a 30 percent reduction by 2020. • Developing countries on the other hand will need to cut emissions by 20 percent by 2050, with emissions rising until 2020. 22 . WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER: AMANDLA. 23