Potential of renewable energy: PIK-chief economist presents IPCC-report

05/12/2011 – Close to 80 percent of the world’s energy supply could be met by renewables by 2050, if backed by public policies. The share of renewable energy in the future global energy mix differs substantially among scientific scenarios. But a comprehensive review led by Ottmar Edenhofer, co-chair of the working group on mitigation of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) – also being the chief economist of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research – outlines the large potential of renewable energy sources to mitigate emissions of greenhouse gases and anthropogenic climate change.
Potential of renewable energy: PIK-chief economist presents IPCC-report

This week, the summary for policymakers of the ‘Special Report on Renewable Energy Sources and Climate Change Mitigation’ (SRREN) has been approved by government representatives for IPCC member countries in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. “With consistent climate and energy policy support, renewable energy sources can contribute substantially to human well-being by sustainably supplying energy and stabilizing the climate”, Edenhofer said. “However, the substantial increase of renewables is technically and politically very challenging.”

The German federal environment minister Norbert Röttgen as well as the federal minister for research Annette Schavan will be attending the presentation of the SRREN at the Technical University of Berlin on May, 16th. About one thousand guests from business, science, and politics are expected to attend. Everyone interested can register for this event.

 

Read the summary for policy makers of the report

Further information