The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) released a report on the 11th, saying that global electricity supply from clean energy sources must double in the next eight years to effectively limit global warming; otherwise, global energy security could be compromised due to climate change, increased extreme weather, and water scarcity, among other factors.
According to the WMO’s State of Climate Services 2022: Energy report, climate change is posing risks to global energy security as extreme weather events, among others, become more frequent and intense globally, directly affecting fuel supplies, energy production, and the resilience of current and future energy infrastructure.
WMO Secretary-General Petri Taras said the energy sector is the source of about three-quarters of global greenhouse gas emissions and that only by more than doubling the supply of low-emission electricity over the next eight years will the relevant emissions reduction targets be met, calling for enhanced use of solar, wind and hydropower, among others.
The report notes that the global energy supply is largely dependent on water resources. 87% of global electricity from thermal, nuclear and hydroelectric systems in 2020 is directly dependent on available water. In the same period 33% of thermal power plants that rely on fresh water for cooling are located in areas of high water scarcity, as are 15% of existing nuclear power plants, and this percentage is expected to increase to 25% for nuclear power plants in the next 20 years. The transition to renewable energy will help alleviate the growing global pressure on water resources, as solar and wind power use far less water than conventional fossil fuel and nuclear power plants.
In particular, the report recommends that renewable energy should be developed vigorously in Africa. Africa is facing severe impacts such as widespread drought from climate change, and the declining cost of clean energy technologies offers new hope for Africa’s future. Over the past 20 years, only 2% of clean energy investments have been in Africa. Africa has 60% of the world’s best solar resources, but only 1% of the world’s installed PV capacity. There is an opportunity for African countries in the future to capture the untapped potential and become major players in the market.
Post time: Oct-14-2022