2 reports, 1 conclusion: energy shift must start soon
BERLIN — The world must swiftly shift energy production away from fossil fuels if it is to prevent a dangerous increase in global temperatures, according to separate reports released Monday by two international agencies.
Both reports concluded that fundamentally changing the way power is produced would require considerable investment — though there were would also be savings due to improvements in energy efficiency.
The International Energy Agency and the International Renewable Energy Agency were asked to outline scenarios that would keep global average temperature increases below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), compared with preindustrial times.
To ensure a two-thirds chance of that happening, the IEA said, “would require an unparalleled ramp up of all low-carbon technologies in all countries.”