Climate change and energy

A group of five advisory councils e-met to  discuss food production/livestock farming in the context of climate change.

Geopolitical developments have changed the dynamics between the winding down of old energy systems and the building up of new ones. Developments around the world mean that the pace of  phasing out of old energy systems is increasingly influenced by the issue of energy security. As a result, the energy transition is now being driven by climate ambitions and the desire to continue to guarantee energy security with reduced dependence on countries outside the EU. This expected push for an enhanced energy transition or adjustments in direction comes with challenges

The Working Group will organize an internal policy briefing. Two experts will share their insights with the members of the EEAC Network. André Faaij (Director of Science TNO Energy transition) will zoom in on the impacts of the current energy crisis and an effective response that accelerates the energy transition. Elisa Giannelli (Senior Policy Advisor, E3G. ) will focus on the options Europe has to reduce dependency on third country fossil fuels, while safeguarding energy security and affordability.

In conclusions, both experts will share their views on the questions whether – low carbon – energy sources can fill the void of fossil fuels in our energy mix in the short (next 2,5 years) and mid ( 2,5 to 8 years) term without jeopardizing energy security or affordability?

To get a deeper understanding of what happened at COP26 in Glasgow, the EEAC Working Group on Climate Change and Energy organized an online policy briefing for all colleagues of the EEAC Network.

With this policy briefing, the Working Group provided the colleagues with experts views on the outcomes of COP26, the negotiation process leading up to these outcomes, as well as providing the audience with an analysis of what the process and outcomes reached in Glasgow might mean for advisory bodies like gathered in the EEAC Network.

We were pleased that Lola Vallejo (Climate Programme Director at IDDRI), Bastiaan Hassing (Head of the delegation to the UNFCCC, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy) and Anna-Katharina Hornidge, (WBGU) shared their views with us.

This summer, the European Commission launched a series of policy initiatives to contribute to the achievement of a net emission reduction of 55% by 2030 and climate neutrality by 2050. This pathway towards climate neutrality will include a transition that is as necessary as it is complex. Therefore, this transition requires informed decision-making, supported by the best available scientific knowledge.

It is in this context that the EEAC Network and the Institute for European Environment Policies (IEEP) organized a webinar during which several experts reflected on the role of (scientific) advice in policymaking, and how the role of science can be optimally organised and utilised in the context of European climate policymaking. Special attention was paid to the role of the future European Climate Change Advisory Board.

The webinar – entitled ‘‘Toward net-zero: Sound policies need science’ –  took place on Monday September 20^th , 2021 ( 09:00-11:15 CET ). Read More

The EEAC Working Group on Climate and Energy organized an online policy briefing on the EU Climate law.

With this online briefing the Working Group aimed to provide colleagues with: A) a brief overview of the law; B) an assessment of its strengths, its possible loopholes, and the proposed European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change.

Elisa Giannelli (E3G) provided a presentation and the EEAC members then engaged in collegial exchange.

Hydrogen can play a role in making the economy more sustainable in two ways: as an energy carrier, and as a feed stock for industry. The Dutch Climate Agreement, Climate Plan and various sector-specific scenarios all assign an important role to hydrogen. Hydrogen is also receiving considerable attention internationally, as illustrated by the many strategies, vision documents, reports and investments by governments and global companies. Hydrogen, in other words, has potential.

There are however multiple challenges and possible infringing interests when it comes to the use of hydrogen in the future. In this context the Dutch Council for the Environment and Infrastructure (Rli) produced its report aiming to answer the question: What is a realistic prospect for hydrogen as a feed stock and/or energy carrier in a sustainable economy, and what role should the (Dutch) national government and other parties play in that regard? During an online presentation, Folmer de Haan (Deputy Director Rli) introduced the advice and its finding and engaged in collegial exchange.

The context in which the European energy and climate transition is taking place changes by the day due to the Covid19 crisis.  Inevitably this changing context will affect the EU’s energy and climate policies. In order to obtain a better understanding of  how the Covid19 crisis will influence European energy and climate policies, the EEAC Working Group invited Milan Elkerbout of the Center for European Policy Studies to provide the working group with an online policy brief on this issue.

During the session, Milan touched upon both the short-term and the longer-term impacts of Covid19 on EU energy and climate policies. With this session the EEAC Working Group on Energy and Climate Change provided participants with an enhanced understanding of the short-term and longer-term impact of the Covid19 crisis on EU Energy and Climate Policies.