Global Energy Transition Update: Key Developments from March 2-3, 2025

Energy in Demand News, March 2-3, 2025 – Energy in Demand – Sustainable Energy – Rod Janssen

March 2, 2025

Last week, Energy in Demand (EiD) highlighted the ongoing meeting of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in China and the implications of the United States’ reported withdrawal. As the meetings commence, U.S. experts are notably absent. This weekend, the Financial Times (subscription required) featured insights from various experts. Juan Declet-Barreto from the Union of Concerned Scientists remarked, “Decimating the nation’s core scientific enterprise, even as costly and deadly climate change impacts and extreme weather events worsen, flies in the face of logic, common sense, and fiscal responsibility.” He further emphasized that “censoring science does not change the facts about climate change.” Joeri Rogelj, a climate science and policy professor at Imperial College London and a lead author for the sixth assessment report, noted that while the IPCC would not “stand or fall with one single country,” its success relies on the best available expertise and skills.

The Trump administration has already announced its withdrawal from the 2015 Paris climate agreement. This raises questions about the impact on other international organizations involved in climate change and the energy transition. This week, the UK’s Climate Change Committee, which advises the UK and devolved governments on emission reductions and climate adaptation, released its seventh Carbon Budget. Notably, while energy efficiency is mentioned 58 times throughout the report, it is not identified as a strategic tool for combating climate change. In contrast, the International Energy Agency (IEA) asserts that “energy efficiency is key to meeting global goals such as moving away from fossil fuels and lowering emissions.” However, the CCC report adopts a different stance, only mentioning energy efficiency once in the executive summary: “our Balanced Pathway sees cost-effective resource and/or energy efficiency measures deployed across most sectors.” This is not a strong endorsement.

Additionally, the European Commission’s recent communication titled “Action Plan for Affordable Energy” emphasizes that “Energy efficiency is a key contributor for affordable energy in industry and households, and for industrial competitiveness. It limits the impact of high, volatile energy prices on consumer bills.” Both the IEA and the EC recognize energy efficiency as crucial.

For those planning travel in the coming weeks, here are some useful recommendations:
– Country Living Magazine has outlined three transformative European train routes for 2025.
– Much Better Adventures offers ten of the best winter walks across Europe.
– For a unique blend of hiking with food and wine in Europe and Australia, visit the Hedonistic Hiking website.
– Cycling for Softies has compiled a list of the 15 best cycling holidays in Europe for 2025.
– If you’re traveling in 2025, learn how to become a ‘regenerative’ tourist.

Don’t miss the opportunity to attend the World Sustainable Energy Days this week in Wels, Austria.

Dorothy Canfield Fisher (1879-1958), an American author and activist, shared an insightful thought: “If we would only give, just once, the same amount of reflection to what we want to get out of life that we give to the question of what to do with a two weeks’ vacation, we would be startled at our false standards and the aimless procession of our busy days.”

EiD welcomes your thoughts on this week’s featured posts regarding the zero-carbon energy transition:
– A Clean Industrial Deal for competitiveness and decarbonisation in the EU.
– The Commission’s proposal to cut red tape and simplify the business environment.
– The untapped potential of rural areas for renewable energy production in the EU, which “offers a way forward.”
– A blog by Jane Marsh addressing how flood-prone cities can become hydro energy hubs.
– A survey on attitudes towards heat pumps in four European countries.
– A call for better methods to measure fuel poverty.
– The EC’s increased support for Ukraine’s energy security and progress towards full market integration.
– Initiatives in Africa to promote green innovation.
– Significant advancements in Britain’s efforts to retrofit its building stock.

We invite your comments on any of these posts. Please share Energy in Demand with your friends and colleagues. If you know someone interested in receiving this weekly update, have them contact EiD at energyindemand@gmail.com, as it is not available on the WordPress website.