ETH News

The surge in gas and oil prices triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could help speed the energy transition. But high prices won’t be enough to ensure it succeeds; smart policies are still needed, writes Florian Egli.  

Anthony Patt has contributed to the new IPCC report on mitigation of climate change. Since the last report in 2014, the odds for phasing out fossil energy have changed; a net-zero world is achievable now, even if the way remains long.

Hydropower delivers renewable electricity, but comes with massive fish mortality – a global dilemma that can only be addressed by true compromises, says Luiz Silva, and outlines how to find them.

Ambitions to make hydrogen a key energy carrier for a climate friendly future are misguided, says Anthony Patt. Wherever possible, including ground transportation and heating, we should replace fossil fuels with the direct use of renewable electricity.

The CO₂-reducing effect of the pandemic has fizzled out, as the Global Carbon Project confirms in its latest report on greenhouse gas emissions. Nicolas Gruber nevertheless identifies some bright spots.

It will take more than a long-term target for 2050 to achieve climate neutrality, says Reto Knutti. Policymakers must take a consistent approach towards net zero, and define a reduction path with specific measures and interim targets.

Although measures taken to mitigate the effects of climate change are generally associated with energy levies and high costs, the opposite is actually true: the switch to renewable sources is set to reduce energy prices significantly.

For Switzerland to become climate neutral, there’s no way around electric mobility. But to get e-cars going, the public must push for charging stations where people live, argues Anthony Patt. 

Rather than delaying the much-needed restructuring, we should use recovery programs to reset the economy on a sustainable footing, urges Jochen Markard.

Current European and Swiss policy measures are insufficient for addressing the Paris climate target, says Konstantinos Boulouchos and outlines a way to decarbonise mobility.

Climate policy is most effective when it helps people use alternative energy sources, rather than when it makes fossil energy more expensive, argue Anthony Patt and Johan Lilliestam.

To stop climate change, saving energy matters less than switching to renewable energy. Indeed, says Anthony Patt, it isn’t clear whether saving energy makes much of a difference at all.

Flying is too cheap, reckons Renate Schubert. If fuel tax, CO₂ tax and VAT were charged, air tickets would be more expensive and there would be fewer false incentives.

The electric energy system is becoming increasingly diverse and distributed. This trend is bound to have an impact on how the system operators will control and optimize the future grid, blogs Gabriela Hug.