Climate Action 2009-2010

© Isofoton
PV in a remote rural setting in Bolivia.
TECHNOLOGY
global environment, is closing fast. The average global
temperature is already almost 0.8 degrees higher than in
pre-industrial times, and some research indicates that
past and present emissions may have already made a
further rise of as much as one degree Celsius inevitable.
This means that Copenhagen is almost certainly the
last chance to get global emissions onto a progressively
lower-carbon track that can prevent climate change
from reaching two degrees Celsius or more. It is 12 years
since the Kyoto Protocol was agreed, so Copenhagen
is a rare opportunity for global action. With world
emissions still rising steadily, waiting another decade
or more to act will make it too late to prevent disastrous
climate change.
A LOT OF WORK AHEAD FOR A NEW
CLIMATE DEAL
Whatever the outcome in Copenhagen, we are at a
crossroads of our energy future, the design of which will
be fundamental to the future of the PV energy industry.
Policy-makers have the choice between the path of
sustainability, energy security, clean air and water,
which would strengthen our economies and reduce our
dangerous dependence on imported fuels; or they can
continue on the disastrous course of business as usual.
The future of our planet depends on making the right
choice, and the PV industry stands ready to play its
critical part in a sustainable energy future.
WHAT MATTERS TO THE PV INDUSTRY?
Even in this time of high economic uncertainty, the
climate issue remains high on the agenda. The first
commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol is coming to
an end in 2012. While this agreement is not perfect, it is
the only international policy tool we have to curb carbon
emissions and combat climate change, and coming to
an agreement for the period post-2012 in Copenhagen
is now essential.
For the PV sector, the outcome of these negotiations is
critical. In particular, two points are of key interest: the
rigour of the emissions reduction targets, and ensuring
an expanded carbon market.
Targets: the emission reduction targets for industrialised
countries under consideration are much greater than
those under the Kyoto Protocol’s first commitment
period. If ambitious targets are agreed and enforced,
this will have an immediate impact on the framework
conditions of the PV sector as the price of carbon will
rise substantially and drive energy investment decisions.
The flexible mechanisms: The Kyoto Protocol’s Clean
Development Mechanism (CDM) must support the whole
range of energy projects, including those small and midsize
projects that best match the distributed nature of PV
structures and the needs of less developed economies.
Author
Adel El Gammal is Secretary General of EPIA,
the European Photovoltaic Industry Association.
He has been leading work on the ‘SET For 2020’
report, a reference study on the future of PV. He
is a civil engineering graduate from the Free
University of Brussels (Belgium) and holds Business
Administration degrees from Solvay Business School
(Belgium) and INSEAD (France).
Organisation
The European Photovoltaic Industry Association
(EPIA) is the world’s largest photovoltaic industry
association, with more than 200 member companies
drawn from across the entire solar electricity sector.
It represents about 95 per cent of the European
photovoltaic industry and 80 per cent of the worldwide
photovoltaic industry. EPIA members are present
throughout the whole value chain, from silicon, cell
and module production to systems development.
Enquiries
European Photovoltaic Industry Association
Renewable Energy House
Rue d’Arlon 63-67
1040 Brussels
Belgium
SOLAR ENERGY 89
THE IMPORTANCE OF COPENHAGEN
The window of opportunity to prevent global warming
from reaching dangerous levels of two degrees Celsius
or more above the pre-industrial temperature, which
could trigger irreversible and catastrophic changes in the
Tel: +32 2 465 38 84 | Fax: +32 2 400 10 10
Websites: www.epia.org
www.serfor2020.eu
www.pvemployment.org
VISIT: WWW.CLIMATEACTIONPROGRAMME.ORG