The transition to a low-carbon future is a clear imperative, driven by climate urgency. There Green transition Currently in one phase Complex and challenging: Although it is. of late Compared to The road map To reach the long awaited Climate neutralityit never really stopped. On the contrary, adopting Clean technologies is experiencing rapid acceleration and involves an increasing number of The villagesincluding many emerging ones that were recently on the brink of sustainable change.
As is often the case at the juncture, the progress of transition can be read from two opposing perspectives: some see; The glass is half fullothers half empty. On one side are those who watch with excitement.Development of renewable energy. This development is real and important, if sometimes treated with conviction. SuperficialityAt the point of creating an ideal approach in which the solution Low cost And it seems that more political commitment is needed to free ourselves immediately. Fossil fuel and compete withIncreased energy costs.
On the other hand, the sounds of The criticsWe look at the scenario with concern. Climate changes Rapidly extreme and difficult to deal with. For these observers, the adoption of green technology will not be enough without drastic interventions and profound changes in habits and attitudes. Consumption patterns. According to this perspective, it will be necessary to adopt such basic measures to prevent environmental crises. Financial sacrifices And, perhaps, a Decrease in general well-being.
The green transition, therefore, is suspended between two views: One who celebrates. Technological development And another warning of current limitations and future challenges. To make it a global opportunity, it will be important to find a balance between these approaches, to advocate. Bold policies and investment Sustainable technologies To make the transition not only an ambitious project, but a Accessible and inclusive reality For all nations.
2023 is a record year for renewables, but emissions continue to rise.
Data of 2023 Identify it, globally and internally ItalyIt was a record-breaking year for Renewable energyin terms of both New capacity installed both Power generation. This achievement represents an important milestone for the energy transition and deserves to be celebrated. However, the growth rate of clean energy is not yet sufficient to keep up with: Commitments from nearly 200 countries at Cop28 (The last UN Climate Conference to be held in Dubai in November) will be necessary. Triple renewable capacity by the 2030.
To balance these achievements, however, there are other less encouraging numbers. Last year, in fact, Global CO2 emissions Continued due to energy grow upreaching unprecedented levels. Emissions have been exceeded. 40 gigatonnes (ie 40 billion tonnes), thus a new negative record. The development of renewables, although significant, is not sufficient to offset the increase in consumption. Fossil fuel: to be Petroleum be Carbon have reached new heights of consumption, while Natural gas Only a partial decline was observed, confined to Europe.
Effects of growth in oil and coal consumption
Increase in consumption Petroleum e Carbon represents a serious obstacle to efforts to reduce global emissions. Despite the wide availability of renewable generation technologies, the demand for energy from conventional sources remains high, due to various factors. Emerging countries e Developing markets Continue to focus on fossil fuels to support economic growth, while in other regions of the world, the transition to renewables still faces structural and economic resistance.
Energy transfer needs to be accelerated.
The 2023 results show that Transition to clean energy has started and is expanding, but not enough to contain the current momentum. Global Warming. i Emission record Established last year has a clear caveat: without significant acceleration, Global climate goals set for 2030 And 2050 They risk becoming inaccessible. To reverse this trend, it will be essential to adopt policies that further encourage renewable energy, gradually reduce the use of fossil fuels and encourage greater energy efficiency.
2023 is an important step forward for renewables, but it also highlights the challenges that still remain. Reversing these developments will be critical. Concrete measures and accelerate travel to a. A low-emission future To honor commitments made and protect the planet for future generations.
A difficult balance between increased consumption and energy transition
Oil has reached a historic milestone: for the first time in history, global demand has been reached. 100 million barrels per dayA symbolic fact highlighting the difficulty of reducing consumption Fossil fuel Despite global efforts to promote Sustainable mobility and limit usage. Plastic. This figure shows how despite promises for a greener future, oil dependence dominates the global energy landscape, hindering the achievement of climate goals.
The Coal Situation: A Contrast Between Developed Economies and Emerging Countries
In case of Carbonthough I A mature economy While some steps are being taken (albeit slowly) to reduce its use, there are still countries where demand for it is growing rapidly. is represented by a symbolic exampleIndiawhere the consumption Fossil fuel has increased by8%. The country has become a major consumer of coal, even surpassing Europe and North America. India, despite its greatest efforts Energy efficiencyIt is heavily dependent on coal to meet its growing energy needs.
China and its dual energy reality
gave China I am playing an important role. Green revolution: In fact, all but one of the three cars he uses. Battery powerit installed above. 60% of new plants Solar Ed Wind farms In 2023 This commitment has positioned it as a global leader in adoption. Renewable energy. However, despite the progress, the country continues to burn. Large quantities of coal: Indeed, Half of the coal used in the world Used by China, albeit with a reduced share Fossil fuel In its energy mix (from 2011 Gone are fossil fuels.81.6%), is still unable to significantly reduce its dependence on this source.
The global picture of energy consumption: the challenge of decarbonisation
The global picture described by the latter Statistical Review of World Energywhich replaced the famous report B.Phighlights an important fact that summarizes all the paradoxes of current energy transfer: Global primary energy consumption A new one has been reached Historical record Of 620 exazoules. A single Exajoule is roughly equivalent. 170 million barrels of oilA figure that highlights how global energy needs continue to grow despite efforts to switch to renewable sources.
This increase in energy consumption has many implications. Decarbonization. As long as Global energy needs Energy solutions will grow faster than the ability to adopt them. clear e DurableThe challenge of reducing CO2 emissions Winning will be extremely difficult if not impossible. gave Increased energy consumption This is clashing with a system that, while evolving, is struggling to keep up with growing demand for renewable energy.
Signs of hope in energy transition
For the first time in history in Europe Fossils have fallen below 70 percent of the energy mix.. This represents a significant achievement, even if the fraction remains significant. In the United States, fossil fuels have fallen below 80%, with Coal consumption that fell by nearly 20 percent in just one year. This shows that despite the challenges, there are positive signs of progress in reducing dependence on fossil fuels.
in china, CO2 emissions have started to decline.Even in the period of economic growth. This is an important indicator that bodes well for the future. China, the world’s largest CO2 emitter, is proving that it is possible to reduce emissions without sacrificing economic growth.
In the energy sector Green investments are double those attracted to hydrocarbons.: Around $2 trillion against a thousand, the International Energy Agency (IEA) informed us, which was immediately echoed with a worldwide media boom. This is also a positive sign, although the Paris Agency itself has warned that we will have to spend twice as much to reach the net zero target. Furthermore, the IEA’s estimates label many investments as “green”, including for example in electricity networks. The direction of the zodiac is solar and airy. – just to avoid misunderstandings – amounts to 770 billion this year, explains the IEA, 5% more than last year, but with a significant slowdown compared to the +22% recorded in 2023.
Despite this progress, there are still many challenges to be faced. in particular, There are many developing countries that are not participating in the green revolution.or they participate very little, because they are unable to finance it and because the main urgency is to guarantee access to energy for the entire population (still a luxury in many parts of the world). is a thing of comfort) at a minimal cost. This highlights the need for a global and holistic approach to the green transition, which takes into account different economic and social realities.
