This new global energy study outlines a range of 41 alternative sustainable energy pathways that offer viable, cost effective choices for policy makers to achieve necessary human health and environmental sustainability goals by 2050.
The key findings of the Global Energy Assessment (GEA) were released during the RIO+20 Conference on Sustainable Development.
The GEA, the most comprehensive and first ever fully integrated global assessment of energy systems, involving many of the world’s leading energy specialists, outlines a range of resources, technologies, policy options and pathways that would facilitate a transformation of energy systems and address these challenges. These necessary changes will require significant investment in new energy infrastructure, major improvements in energy efficiency - particularly in the building and transport sectors - decarbonization of fossil-fuel based energy systems, and investment in the development and use of renewable energy sources.
Involving more than 500 scientists, policymakers, industry specialists, and energy experts, from 70 countries, the GEA is unique in that it involves specialists from a broad range of interests and disciplines that intersect with energy (e.g. health, environment, economics, and security). Scientist of the Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development were highly involved in the project. Important contributions (as lead author) were made by:
prof dr. Wim Turkenburg,
prof. Detlef van Vuuren, prof. Wim Sinke, prof. Andre Faaij, prof. Marko Hekkert, dr. Wilfried van Sark, dr. Andrea Ramirez and prof. dr. Ernst Worrell.