A new report has found what many will now assume to be obvious - climate change, and the resulting extreme weather - will wreak havoc on the world's renewable energy systems.
The report from the World Energy Council (WEC) reveals that "energy demand is increasing globally, causing an increase in greenhouse gas emissions from the energy sector."
It also points out that "climate change presents increasing challenges for energy production and transmission as a result of temperature increase, extreme weather events, and changing precipitation patterns."
The Guardian's environment correspondent, Fiona Harvey, wrote the valid statement "the vulnerability of energy systems to natural shocks was shown starkly when Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan had to be closed down following the 2011 tsunami, which prompted governments to review their nuclear policies," in an article published on The Guardian's website.
Large plants are at risk during droughts, due to the need for water to act as a coolant, and also are vulnerable to flooding, owing to a lack of protection from such weather, and Christoph Frei, Secretary General of the WEC, has called on more funding to aid preventions. "We need robust and transparent policy frameworks to unlock the required long-term investments that are urgently needed to deliver the future we want. Leadership will be required at all levels," he said in a statement on the report findings.
It is an interesting perspective on the climate change crisis, and one that has not been discussed as much. With all of the new energy systems, including an approved windfarm of up to 240 turbines off the coast of Suffolk being announced this week, the consensus of "too little, too late" appears to be gaining strength. Without doubt, however, the answer for many of these reports with be more investments, more funding, more money. It would be sensible, it seems, to protect our investments so far, after all.
