Every once in a while I read a story that not only fills me with renewed hope about our environmental future but convinces me that science and commitment could see us move away from fossil fuel more rapidly than many projections to date. According to a new study by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) the technology will be in place by mid-century to meet 80% of the planet’s energy needs. The only question then would be whether governments, corporations and the end market will embrace those technologies to that such a transfer of energy sourcing actually takes place.Common sense says why wouldn’t that be the case, but common sense also told us fossil fuels such as oil had a limited future forty years ago. Instead we took the easy and more damaging path.

The report by the IPCC holds the same caveat stating the forecast is only truly attainable if the right energy policies are in place. The news was revealed within the Special Report on Renewable Energy Sources and Climate Change Mitigation (SRREN) summary following IPCC meetings in Abu Dhabi this week. Professor Ottmar Edenhofer, co-chair of the IPCC group who prepared the report explained:

“With consistent climate and energy policy support, renewable energy sources can contribute substantially to human well-being by sustainably supplying energy and stabilising the climate.However, the substantial increase of renewables is technically and politically very challenging,”

It seems that solar power stands to make the greatest advances especially in nations with lower capital reserves. Underlying all of the potential is that the investment would be as prudent as it is environmentally beneficial as there is no finite supply of renewables, the most glaring weakness of fossil fuel dependence. Already the report is being called the most comprehensive review of its kind that studies renewable energy. In all the report assessed over 160 scenarios of future energy development and demonstrated the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by over 30% if implemented. As renewable energy currently provides almost 13% of global needs it would be simple to establish targeted benchmarks every 5 to 10 years for the next 4 decades so that this becomes far more than a pipe dream.

Globally the report shows that long term options would be best met by bioenergy, followed by solar and then wind although solar power is expected to lead the way in the next few years. One very important footnote is that although the science and innovation is well positioned to make this achievable, government and legislation will drive it forward.

Let’s hope they teach that in schools to the voters of tomorrow as their futures may well depend on it.

Learn more about the work of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change by following this link.

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IPCC report – video overview