UK firms urge govt to quicken shift from fossil fuels

Major UK-based companies on Friday urged the government to accelerate the nation's shift away from fossil fuels for electricity generation, amid turmoil over surging gas prices.

The 14 firms -- including energy supplier Octopus, telecoms operator BT and supermarket chain Co-op -- wrote a joint letter to Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng calling for a rethink.

"We are writing to urge the government to (commit) to the full decarbonisation of UK electricity generation by 2035," read the letter, which was organised by environmental think-tank Green Alliance.

The new target would require annual investments of up to �14 billion ($19.2 billion, 16.3 billion euros) per year in renewable energy, they added.

Britain, which hosts the COP26 United Nations climate summit in Glasgow in November, aims to reduce its carbon emissions to net zero by 2050.

"As COP26 approaches, we believe the time is right for the UK to signal an end to the use of unabated fossil fuels in the power sector, claiming another historic first," the letter added.

"There is now a clear pathway to delivering emissions-free electricity."

Unabated refers to fossil fuels whose emissions have not gone through any filtering process.

In response to the letter, the government insisted it had a successful track record on the matter.

"The UK has been very successful in decarbonising electricity generation - emissions from the sector have halved since 2015, and solar and wind are now cheaper than existing coal and gas power plants in much of the world," read a government statement.

"Gas generation currently plays a key role in keeping the electricity system secure and stable and we are actively taking steps to bring forward low carbon technologies that are capable of replicating this role."

However, UK electricity generation group Drax had revealed Thursday that Britain has been forced to run coal-fired power stations in order to secure energy supplies in recent weeks amid the chronic gas crisis.

Wholesale natural gas prices in Britain soared to record peaks last week, sparking fears of rocketing domestic energy bills as demand peaks during the cold northern hemisphere winter.

Britain is particularly exposed to Europe's ongoing energy crisis due to its reliance on natural gas to generate electricity. The price of European gas futures has more than doubled since May.

UN redoubles green energy push to save climate, boost access
United Nations, United States (AFP) Sept 24, 2021 - The United Nations chief called Friday for the world to redouble its renewable energy efforts to avert a climate emergency and address global energy poverty.

"Today, we face a moment of truth," said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who described the mandate as a "double imperative -- to end energy poverty and to limit climate change.

"And we have an answer that will fulfil both imperatives," Guterres said. "Affordable, renewable and sustainable energy for all."

The comments came as governments and the private sector pledged to spend more than $400 billion at a high-level summit that called for an acceleration of efforts to avert catastrophic climate change.

The spending commitments, many of which have been announced previously, include projects to expand electricity access in developing countries, boost clean cooking technologies, and improve energy efficiency as part of a drive to decarbonize the energy system.

The UN says some 760 million people around the world currently lack access to electricity. Guterres said the world should aim to cut that number in half by 2025.

Guterres noted there has been some progress, with renewable energy now comprising 29 percent of global electricity generation.

"But it's not nearly fast enough," Guterres said. "We are still a long way from being able to provide affordable and clean energy for all."

Guterres said the world must reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 45 percent in 2030 from 2010 levels to limit temperature rise to 1.5 degrees.

He called for a quadrupling of solar and wind capacity by that time, part of a push to triple investments on renewable energy and energy efficiency to $5 trillion per year.

And Guterres called on authorities to phase out subsidies on fossil fuel production and "put a price on carbon."

Germany's climate militants fight for parliamentary seats
Monchengladbach, Germany (AFP) Sept 23, 2021
Dressed in a rainbow-coloured unicorn costume, Kathrin Henneberger once camped on a beech tree, trying to save a forest from destruction. Come Monday, she hopes to be one of Germany's newly elected MPs. The 34-year-old counts among one of Germany's most prominent climate militants standing in Sunday's general elections for a seat in parliament. After years of occupying coal mines or blocking power stations, Henneberger and other activists now want a direct say in the halls of power. Like Hen ... read more