Despite the rapid adoption of wind and solar energy in recent years, fossil fuels currently account for over 80% of the world’s energy and over 75% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Global climate goals are still within reach but only by radically shifting from fossil fuels to clean energy.
On May 23, 2023, Systems Change Lab hosted a discussion with leading policy leaders and energy experts about what can be done to accelerate the global clean energy transition.
Speakers discussed pressing issues in the global power sector and how to overcome bottlenecks to a clean energy future. Topics included the unprecedented shift to renewables prompted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, how to secure permitting for new transmission lines and responsibly securing enough critical minerals for battery storage and the growing political momentum for COP28 to call for an end of pollution from fossil power. Panelists will also examine how the US Inflation Reduction Act, European Union’s REPowerEU Plan and other policies are reshaping the long-term outlook for how homes, businesses and vehicles are powered and what measures are critical to ensuring that workers currently working in extracting and using fossil fuels are not left behind.
Co-hosted by World Resources Institute, the Bezos Earth Fund and Climate Action Tracker (a project of NewClimate Institute and Climate Analytics), the webinar was informed by insights from System Change Lab’s new data platform, which finds that delivering climate action across the power system requires four critical shifts:
- Phase out unabated coal and fossil gas electricity generation
- Rapidly scale up zero-carbon electricity generation
- Modernize power grids, scale energy storage and manage power demand
- Ensure energy access and a just and equitable transition for all
Moderator and Host:
- Jennifer Layke, Global Director, Energy, World Resources Institute
Speakers:
- Laura Cozzi, Chief Energy Modeller, IEA
- Mohamed Adow, Founder and Director, Power Shift Africa
- Nandini Das, Energy Research and Policy Analyst, Climate Analytics
- Nicole Iseppi, Director of Energy Innovation, the Bezos Earth Fund