At the Bonn Climate Summit, an agreement emerged that is less well known than others, but is of great importance. This agreement has been drawn up among 19 countries that make up the Biofuture Platform. These 19 countries comprise half of the world's population and are responsible for 37% of the global economy. They are committed to increasing the amount of sustainable bioenergy that exists especially in transportation.
The objective of this agreement is to increase the amount of bioenergy in transport from 4,5% in 2015 to 17% in 2060. What must these countries do to achieve this?
Increase bioenergy
Globally, it is necessary to increase the amount of renewable energy available to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and thus not reach a two-degree increase in average temperatures on the planet. This is what is attempted in the energy transition, leading the world of energy towards those that do not pollute.
The report of the International Energy Agency (IEA) trusts that bioenergy is capable of helping to achieve the objectives of reducing emissions of gases, making that the average temperatures of the planet do not rise above two degrees where, according to the scientific community, changes in ecosystems and stability the planet will be irreversible and unpredictable.
This limit of the increase in temperatures is tried to achieve through the negotiations of the Paris Agreement. Therefore, an increase in renewable energies in those sectors of the economy and the population where more quantities of gases are emitted that retain heat, will reduce pollution and, therefore, will not increase the temperature.
Bioenergy is expected to be able to provide almost 17% of all final energy demand in 2060, comparing it with 4,5% in 2015. To be realistic and establish correct calculations, it should be taken into account that the demand for transport will grow ten times more for that year and that transport is one of the sources emissions of the entire planet. To deal with the reduction of polluting gases from transport, the current supply of raw material for the production of biofuels will have to be increased fivefold.
Report conclusions and action taken
The report reaches several important conclusions: Although there is a great variety in energy-related technologies that are commercially available, the amount of bioenergy that is used to meet demands for electricity, heat and transportation is much less than what would be required in a planetary scenario in which an attempt is made to avoid a two degree increase in average temperatures.
To alleviate the deficiency problems in the use of bioenergy in the different sectors of the population, an attempt is made to make a special impact on the following points:
- The first, and perhaps most important, is to accelerate the pace at which sustainable mobility and bioenergy technologies are available on the market. This leads to the technologies being developed and tested before introducing them into the economic system. To achieve this, a technological innovation is required based on the combination of technologies that are already mature in this context and the new emerging ones that can replace and fulfill the same market functions. For example, we can find biofuels such as cellulosic ethanol, hydrobiodiesel, etc.
- International cooperation is a key element to carry out the fulfillment of the objectives. It is stated that “current cooperation should be expanded to involve international development, environmental and funding organizations to identify regional and local deployment opportunities that help meet the Sustainable Development Goals".
- Politics must be toughened. In other words, new programs must be created that allow companies to invest in renewable energy without losing too much money.
As you can see, renewable energies play a vital role in reducing greenhouse gases and fighting climate change.