*[Enwl-eng] Davos 2015: Four Conclusions

[ENWLine]

*Davos 2015: Four Conclusions*

Analyzing the results of the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, many
experts agree that a major shift in guiding principles is happening in the
world economy. However, according to environmental NGOs, Russia keeps
staying away from the latest global economic trends, and its development is
primarily moved by inertia.

More information on climate energy on the http://rusecounion.ru/eng
<http://rusecounion.ru/>

With promising milestones on the horizon for climate change and the
development agenda this year, much of the discussion among public and
private sector leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos focused on the
role of energy in transforming our growth model, the way it never did
before. In her blog article, UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres
comes to four conclusions regarding the new shining beacon of the current
economic development.

*Zero cost energy*

Solar and wind are no longer marginal energy technologies. Investment is
increasing, reaching US$312 billion in 2014, up 16% from 2013. Meanwhile,
the prime cost of the energy alternative is decreasing speedily, and the
technology itself is advancing. In Davos, renewable energy was referred to
as a zero cost energy source that is also crisis-resilient.

*The forgotten fossils*

In the run-up to Davos, press has reported at least five major oil
companies retreating from high cost projects. Fossil fuels are becoming a
luxury that is hard to afford, since their available deposits run dry. Some
countries that subsidize fossil fuels are taking advantage of the drop in
prices to decrease or eliminate subsidies, channeling the budget savings
into other social needs. Economists predict that by the time the oil price
recovers and finds itself unsubsidized, it will have a hard time competing
with decreasing solar and wind prices.

*Carbon-free business*

An increasing number of corporations are waking up to both the threat of
unrestricted climate change as well as to the opportunities afforded by the
low-carbon economy. In pursuit of transforming their own company and/or
sector, many corporations are redirecting themselves towards low-carbon or
zero-carbon operations, understanding that the transformation is by now
inevitable, and that first movers have the advantage. Additionally, they
want to encourage international policy development. In September 2014, more
than 1000 companies and 70 governments said no to the use of coal in energy
production. In Davos, 1000 companies announced an initiative to call for an
intergovernmental directional signal of net zero emissions by 2050.

*The gateway effect*

As in other fora, much was discussed in Davos about the relationship
between climate change and sustainable development. The fact is that unless
we are able to address climate change in a timely manner, all development
gains will be under constant economic and social threat due to the
increasing frequency and intensity of natural disasters that can easily
wipe out our living spaces, infrastructure and croplands. From the climate
change perspective, this type of vulnerability is in part recognized as the
urgent need for resilience. Greenhouse gas mitigation policies and
technologies can therefore be seen as the necessary “gateway” to
development that is sustainable in the long run. Passing through that
gateway is the only way to avoid a self-destructive developmental lock-in,
with impacts that go way beyond the technological lock-in we usually
consider.

‘The urgency to act and to develop renewable energy and low-carbon
strategies is also recognized in Russia. Recently, certain changes in
legislation have been implemented, which are supposed to stimulate this
kind of development, says Olga Senova, Head of the Climate Secretariat,
Russian Socio-Ecological Union. However, positive change is happening at an
extremely slow rate. Expensive and risky Arctic projects are still a
priority, while fossil fuels and nuclear power keep being subsidized. At
the same time, the very territory of our country is a goldmine in terms of
renewable energy development. Russia, like no other country in the world,
desperately needs a change in its economic and energy-related priorities,
the change that international economists talk so much about.’

--
RSEU Climate Secretariat
www.rusecounion.ru
Address: Voznesenskij 49-A, St.Petersburg, 190068, Russia
Tel.mob: +7 921 9117986, +7 9217444255
e-mail: rseu.c...@gmail.com <e-mail%3Arseu....@gmail.com>



From: "Climate Secretariat RSEU" <rseu.c...@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, March 24, 2015 2:16 PM
Subject: Davos 2015: Four Conclusions


------------- * ENWL * ------------
Ecological North West Line * St. Petersburg, Russia
Independent Environmental Net Service: http://www.bellona.ru/enwl/
Russian: ENWL(discussions), ENWL-inf(FSU information), ENWL-misc(any topics)
English: ENWL-eng (world information)
en...@lew.spb.org, enwl...@lew.spb.org, en...@lew.spb.org, en...@lew.spb.org
Subscription, Moderator: vf...@lew.spb.org or en...@enw.net.ru
Archive: http://enwl.bellona.ru/pipermail/
and http://groups.google.com/group/enwl/
SEE ALSO: http://www.bellona.org (English)and http://www.bellona.ru
(Russian)
RSS: http://groups.google.ru/group/enwl/feeds?hl=ru
(C) Please refer to exclusive articles of ENWL
-------------------------------------
ONLY if your address is subscribed:
Enwl-eng mailing list
Enwl...@enwl.bellona.ru
http://enwl.bellona.ru/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/enwl-eng