I’ve addressed this issue before on the editorial: if the IEA uses this kind of wording, this means the situation is serious! Even conservative oil companies and skeptical world leaders must feel uncomfortable at the alarming figures. The report that was presented yesterday projected even higher CO2 emissions in 2030 than last year’s Outlook, mainly because the coal demand in India and China exceeds expectations. Nonetheless, IEA researchers expect that the forecasts may have to be further adapted – upwards – for the same reasons.

Although the Outlook is mainly a document about energy economics, it is becoming a strong political statement as well. In every new document published, the IEA becomes more and more outspoken about the requirement of rigorous climate policies. But until now, the IEA does not give any clues about what these policies should look like. Of course, the IEA will seek a thorough cooperation between OECD countries and China and India, maybe even subscribing the latter two to the IEA Member list. And the IEA also declares that R&D funds for new technologies must increase again, after a slump of 70% from the eighties’ levels. Rather thin advices, in my opinion.

Obviously, the concerted action by all countries, so much requested by the IEA, has to be directed by other organisations. This again stresses the importance of the Bali Climate Summit, in December. The new World Energy Outlook is nothing more than a good input for that meeting, but the energy apocalypse can only be prevented by practical policy actions, right now!

Rolf de Vos

Editor in chief

GreenPrices

r.devos@greenprices.com