The World Energy Council’s call to the 21st Conference of Parties

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Urgent action requires solidarity beyond dogmatism.

The World Energy Council, representing over 3000 organisations from governments, private and state companies, academia, NGOs and energy-related stakeholders, is calling for a clear pathway from Paris that will end the growing uncertainty that has cast a shadow over the energy sector for many decades. The energy community urgently needs:

A clear carbon pricing scheme in line with the global objectives that will allow all to make efficient economic decisions. Of all the measures currently being undertaken on the ground and discussed in Paris, this is the key priority. We call for determined pragmatism from all sides to deliver such a deal that enables significant on-going action beyond dogmatism.
Predictable policy and balanced regulatory frameworks to unlock the needed investment to ensure affordable, reliable and sustainable energy. Reducing policy risk is critical.
Crucial action at regional and national level. Only the adoption of strong and balanced national energy policy frameworks can provide substantive progress. The addition of the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions track to the negotiations is an important step. However, translating the international objective to the national level for energy requires an Energy Trilemma approach, which balances the needs of energy security, environment and social agenda.

It is clear that we are not on a 2 degree Celsius track. Our Scenarios show that, with existing technologies, current policies and known rates of innovation, emissions will peak well above the levels required for a sustainable pathway. This will cause both cost and stress on the global economy that will have a significant impact for us all.

The increasing number of extreme weather events affect critical energy infrastructure today. The frequency of extreme weather events has quadrupled over the past 30 years and this trend and its effects will continue without decisive mitigation and adaptation measures. Our work shows that energy leaders in Asia, Africa and Americas are particularly concerned about the rising number of extreme weather events that are putting critical infrastructures at risk and threatening social and economic development.

A historic energy transition is needed. The energy sector is core to the solution and will be fundamental to the successful energy transition. To accelerate this transition requires meaningful engagement with the energy sector and greater dialogue between policy and business leaders to prioritise and bring to scale critical actions on the long road from Paris.

The global energy community will gather at the World Energy Congress in Istanbul in 2016 where we commit to embrace this new frontier. The World Energy Council calls on the Parties in Paris to agree on a clear, unambiguous and equitable climate framework and carbon pricing scheme to enable the energy sector to deliver the needed energy transition for the greatest benefit of all.

Download World Energy Council Official messages to the Conference of the Parties Paris 2015