The Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue (BETD), a two-day international conference on the consequences of the global transformation of energy systems began in Berlin on Tuesday.
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas (SPD) and Economics Minister Peter Altmaier (CDU) opened the Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue attended by delegations from more than 50 countries as well as representatives from business and civil society.
Maas emphasized that the global energy transition would not only entail switching to renewable energies but also "upending political constants".
"By using renewable energies, states can put themselves in a position to increase their own energy security," allowing countries to pursue their strategic and foreign policy interests more independently, Maas said.
Both Maas and German Economics Minister Altmaier called for stronger international cooperation in the fight against climate change, highlighting that a successful energy system transformation must be thought of "globally and holistically".
A holistic approach required the energy transition to be "successful in all sectors and the socio-economic elements to be taken into account throughout," Altmaier added.
Renewable energies were "the key" to the success of the German energy transition "which is attracting increasing international attention", said Simone Peter, president of the German Renewable Energy Federation (BEE) which is co-hosting the event.
In 2018, renewables made up 37.8 percent of German power consumption, generating as much electricity as hard coal and lignite combined for the first time.
Renewable energies will be essential for the overall global energy transition as well, according to a study presented by the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena) at the BETD energy conference on Tuesday.
The Irena study showed that electricity from sun and wind energy could cover 86 percent of the entire global demand for electricity by 2050, even in combination with the advancing electrification of transport and other applications.
This would, however, require immense investments including more than 1 billion electric vehicles worldwide, the increased use of electricity for heat and the development of renewable hydrogen, according to the study.
The Irena researchers warned that current measures against climate change were not sufficient as energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions have risen by more than 1 percent per year on average over the past five years.
By 2050, however, energy-related emissions would need to be 70 percent below current levels in order to achieve global climate goals, the study found.
Renewable energies were therefore the "most effective and fastest available solution" to reverse the trend of rising CO2 emissions, Irena director general Francesco La Camera said at the energy transition conference in Berlin on Tuesday.
"The energy transformation is gaining momentum, but it must accelerate even faster," concluded La Camera.
The Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue (BETD) is being hosted by the German government together with the German Renewable Energy Federation (BEE), the German Solar Industry Association (BSWSolar) and the German Energy Agency (dena).
Editor:Cherie
