Conflicts & War

UN warns climate change risking global energy security

Geneva, Oct 11 (EFE).- The world must double its electricity supply from clean energy sources within the next eight years as climate change is putting energy security at risk globally, a multi-agency report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) published Tuesday warned.

“Otherwise, there is a risk that climate change, more extreme weather and water stress will undermine our energy security and even jeopardize renewable energy supplies,” the report warned.

According to the United Nations climate agency, the energy sector accounts for 75% of global greenhouse gas emissions and this is why the transition to clean forms of energy is “vital” to thrive in the 21st century.

“Net zero by 2050 is the aim. But we will only get there if we double the supply of low-emissions electricity within the next eight years,” WMO secretary-general Prof Petteri Taalas said.

“Time is not on our side, and our climate is changing before our eyes. We need a complete transformation of the global energy system,” he added.

To reach the Paris Agreement’s long-term goal — prevent temperatures from rising 1.5C above pre-industrial levels — 7.1 TW (terawatt-hours) of clean energy capacity must be installed by 2030, the report said.

But according to the WMO, “the world is set to fall short of achieving the goal of universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy by 2030, as set out in SDG (Sustainable Development Goal) 7, by a wide margin.”

“Climate change is putting energy security at risk globally,” the report warned.

“Investments in renewable energy need to triple by 2050 to put the world on a net zero trajectory by 2050,” it added. EFE

abc/mp/jt

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