Blueprints advocacy

Because the changes needed in the energy system are so big – and policy is so important to achieving them – we have stepped up our advocacy efforts with governments. Advocacy for some may suggest companies blocking change or advancing their own narrow interests. But we are calling for change, lending our expertise and working co-operatively with governments, companies and other partners in society.

We are sharing our technical knowledge, experience and understanding of the energy system directly with policy makers. For example, we are presenting our Strategic Energy Scenarios to governments and international institutions, to help them understand the challenges, trade-offs and urgency involved in building a responsible energy future. We are also helping to build the coalitions of companies, governments and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) needed to create support for effective policy. For example, we are part of the US Climate Action Partnership. We are on the Steering Board of the G8’s Gleneagles Dialogue on Climate Change and we participate in the UK’s Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership.

international co₂ prices and a sector-by-sector approach

So what are we advocating? An international policy framework for CO₂ management that will put a price on emitting CO₂; will encourage the technology and investments needed to increase energy efficiency and lower the CO₂ intensity of energy supplies; and will not distort international competition. The Bali Declaration in late 2007 established a roadmap that, if followed, could bring such a framework about. With its broad agreement about the need to act, attention must now focus on details. We are calling for different instruments for different sectors: emissions trading systems for heavy industry and the power sector, combined with incentives for the rapid demonstration and deployment of CO₂ capture and storage (CCS) and simple, stable targets for renewable energy. Transport – with its hundreds of millions of small emitters – will need stringent vehicle efficiency targets and incentives for fuels with lower wells-to-wheels emissions of CO₂. Measures to manage congestion and road use will also be needed. Tough energy efficiency standards will be most effective for buildings and appliances.

co₂ capture and storage

CCS technology will need to play a big role in reducing emissions from the power sector and industry. We are part of a broad-based coalition – the European Technology Platform for Zero Emission Fossil Fuel Power Plants (ZEP) – that is spearheading efforts to develop this promising technology. The aim is to speed up the roll-out of demonstration projects, so that CCS will be in commercial use by 2020. ZEP brings together the European Commission, European industry, NGOs, scientists and environmentalists. Thanks partly to ZEP efforts, the European Union has recently launched a flagship programme to build 10–12 demonstration power plants with CCS by 2015. There is no time to lose. Every year’s delay in the large-scale roll-out of CCS adds more than 1 part per million to long-term global levels of CO₂ in the atmosphere.