Extracts from the Nov-Dec 2002 edition of Renew
These extracts only represent about 25% of it

14. Earth Summit

G-8 sets the scene

Setting the tone for the Earth Summit, in May, UK Energy Minister Brain Wilson told the ‘G8’ meeting of ministers from the eight leading industrialsed countries, who had gathered in Detroit, that a new priority should be given to clean, reliable energy supply in the fight against world poverty. "The only people who think that the provision of electricity is not a priority in poverty alleviation are those who have never been without it. In fact, there is no single change in living conditions which is more beneficial than the arrival of electricity yet 1.7 bn people are without it. Renewable technologies offer huge opportunities to reduce that figure. We have to think small as well as big. For many millions, linkage to a grid will be a possibility but local generation using the most appropriate available technologies is equally important. We need to adopt the scale of vision which the G8 Renewable Energy Task Force recommended. They concluded that a billion people could be supplied with renewable energy over the next decade. The World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg later this year will give us an opportunity to put clean, reliable and affordable energy alongside shelter, education and clean water as top priorities to reducing poverty."

His views seemed to be welcomed, at least judging by the sonorous tone of the press release that emerged, which spoke of energy security, economic growth, environmental protection, and sustainable development all being supported by improved energy efficiency and diversified energy sources including renewables. The ministers committed to ‘explore areas where existing cooperation among their countries in energy science and technology could be strengthened, particularly in the areas of emerging renewable energy, energy efficiency and cleaner energy technologies’.

Between them, the G8 group spent over $400 bn on energy R&D last year, so their commitment isn’t just hot air - although it has to be said that the commitment to diversification of energy supplies included support for nuclear power. U.S. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham even highlighted fusion as an option, signalling a possible re-engagement by the US with the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor project. This currently involves Canada, Europe, Japan and Russia - the US pulled out in 1998.

Abraham endorsed nuclear power as "one existing source of power that presents no emissions challenge at all", and forecast that over the next 20 years energy demand in G-8 countries will rise by 33% and in the developing world by 100%, bringing them nearly equal to G-8 consumption by 2020. "In the United States we project a 45% increase in electricity generating capacity over the next 20 years. That works out to between 1,300 and 1,900 new power plants. We will have to build more than one power plant a week, and the power lines to go with them, to meet our requirements."

He also claimed that Europe will have to build new generating capacity equivalent to its entire existing electricity generating system in 20 years to meet projected demand.

WSSD

The World Summit for Sustainable Development, held in Johannesburg from Aug 26 to Sept. 4, was the largest UN. meeting in history with more than 100 world leaders and 30,000 delegates.

It looked at five main areas in which progress could offer all human beings a chance of achieving sustainable prosperity- with poverty reduction, and health being high on the agenda, along with pollution, water access and biodiversity. Energy issues were probably the most contentious. Certainly in the run up to Jo’burg it had proved impossible to get agreement on the agenda for the energy discussions and the collapse of preparatory talks in Bali in June did not bode well. Indeed some observers felt the whole WSSD exercise was doomed, especially given President Bushes decision not to attend, and only a fleeting visit by Blair. The NGO’s however tried hard to force the government heads who did attend to focus on some of 200 or so key issues that had been identified, with, in addition to the parallel Global Peoples Forum, new open access computer networks emerging, like the OU’s http//earthsummit.open.ac.uk See also the new EERU site at http://www.energyprojects.co.uk

Some new terms were floated to replace the increasingly odd labels of ‘North’ versus ‘South’ - the new version contrasts the‘globalised rich’ and ‘the localised poor’. The UK’s Intermediate Technology Development Group was amongst those clearly backing the later, with its ‘Power to the People’ initiative (see www.itdg.org), while INforSE produced a ‘Sustainable Energy Vision 2050': see www.inforse.org/projects.php3. Meanwhile the nuclear lobby was still banging on the door trying to get access to the CDM.

The big news however was the EU’s promotion of a fairly conservative target for renewables globally- only 15% of world energy by 2010, compared with the 14% currently obtained, with all but 2% of this being from firewood and large hydro, sources most NGO’s are concerned about. Some, like WWF, would prefer a lower target, 10%, if that excluded hydro and firewood- a position backed by Brazil. But in the event, the final WSSD text only called on all countries to ‘substantially increase’ the global share of renewable energy, without specifying any target percentages or dates. Mikhail Gorbachev’s international environment group Green Cross had urged delegates to set up a $50 bn fund to promote solar energy. And South Africa said it would aim to obtain 2% of its electricity from green sources by 2012. But otherwise, on energy at least, WSSD was a bit of a damp squib, although it did at least prompt Russia, Canada and China to say they would ratify the Kyoto accord, so it should now become law. More in Renew 141.

Open energy markets

Liberalisation of energy markets is seen as the way ahead by many of the governments represented at Jo’burg. But not everyone is keen on the full liberalisation,and the aggressive competition it can unleash.

However, one thing that could be useful is an EU proposal that all electricity suppliers should be required to inform consumers of the sources they use, probably on an annual percentage basis. This would allow consumers to chose between different energy sources such as nuclear, fossil fuels and renewables. "I think there is more or less consensus on that", EU Energy Commissioner Loyola de Palacio has told reporters.

There is less of a consensus on whether the EU market should be completely opened up- to include domestic supplies. The UK, which has already completely liberalised its markets, wants to set a date for full opening across the EU, and the European Parliament and the EU’s executive Commission wants the whole market open by 2005, but France does not seem ready.

* In Denmark, the new conservative government seems convinced that the time has come to phase out subsidies for renewables, and let liberalisation and market forces take over. The next two offshore wind farms will, it seems, get support, since they were already planned, but after that the renewable support programme will look very different, with, for example, the wave energy programme being axed. Sadly the Netherlands also seem to be cutting support for renewables, with tax exemption for green energy and incentives for green energy producers being threatened.