In the most recent version of our speak present from Brussels, contributors mentioned the Baku local weather summit, the potential return of fossil fuels and the disaster within the electrical automotive market.
At the COP29 local weather convention in Baku, the frustration was over. Observers and delegates have been upset by the sluggish tempo of progress. No readability on local weather finance or how susceptible international locations can entry finance, to call only one challenge. And then there are the fossil gasoline giants casting a shadow over the summit. Has the COP course of run its course?
Questions for the panel of our newest version of our speak present from Brussels: Sam Williams, Head of EU Policy on the Energy and Climate Policy and Innovation Council (EPICO), Suzana Carp, Deputy Executive Director of Cleantech for Europe and Franziska Heckel, political researcher at Save the Soil.
After virtually two weeks of COP29 in Baku, there was not the chaos of Copenhagen and not one of the lengthy queues beneath a scorching solar like in Dubai. As for the excellent news, that is it.
While the UN local weather talks have made important progress over the previous decade, the present COP course of seems incapable of creating adjustments occur shortly or forcing international locations to behave, many consultants say.
Example? The president of the host nation, Azerbaijan, advised the convention that pure fuel is a “present from God” and that it’s completely official to promote it. So a lot for local weather ambition!
Meanwhile, since COP28 final yr, emissions of heating gases have elevated as soon as once more, by virtually 1%.
However, scientists say these emissions should fall by greater than 40% by the tip of this decade to keep away from a very harmful affect on nature. Perhaps the COP course of wants critical reform…
The second theme was rising doubts about political dedication to the inexperienced transition. Statements from politicians world wide appear to recommend that experiences of the premature dying of conventional power sources have been untimely. And with Donald Trump again on the helm, all of the progress of the Biden administration is on the verge of being undone. Will fossil fuels make a comeback? And what does this imply for us in Europe?
Finally, contributors mentioned the disaster within the European automotive market, particularly the electrical automobile sector.
Until not too long ago, electrical automobiles have been seen because the undisputed way forward for the transportation sector. However, the auto business is now suffering from rising issues about falling demand and the danger that political uncertainty may disrupt market circumstances and provide chains.
The newest knowledge reveals that gross sales of electrical automobiles are steadily declining. And the EU’s ban on the sale of combustion engine automobiles from 2035 is more and more being questioned by conservative politicians.
Between formidable local weather objectives, political resistance and declining expectations: what is going to the way forward for the automotive market seem like?
