The Ukraine War has shown that governments can act quickly to shift energy sources when they focus. “What’s interesting to me is that while collectively we have not been able to mobilise to fight climate change in a timely manner, the energy crisis in Europe has shown that we are able to mobilise quite quickly when national security is at stake,” says Joana Freitas, a member of the board at Portuguese electricity utility EDP Generation. She spoke to Energy Monitor on the margins of the COP27 climate summit in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, about her expectations for climate action and the potential for electrification to bring down emissions.
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Freitas pointed out that $110bn a year has gone into coal subsidies over the past ten years – $10bn more than the annual climate finance pledge that developed nations promised to developing nations in 2009 and have subsequently failed to deliver. “If we would have stopped subsidising coal and used that cash to help developing nations transition to green energy, we would still have $10bn a year to play with,” she noted. Freitas also chairs the Generation and Environment Committee of the Brussels-based electricity association Eurelectric. She was at COP27 to discuss with delegates what can be done to encourage electrification.
Climate action beyond electrification at COP27:
Reporter Nour Ghantous and senior writer Dave Keating reported from COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, on behalf of Energy Monitor and our parent company, GlobalData. They provided the data-led analysis you have come to expect from Energy Monitor but also something new: video interviews with business leaders, policymakers and campaigners. We encourage you to browse our coverage of the conference. You can also sign up for our free biweekly newsletter here.
COP27 coverage includes:
Climate action in tourism: Iberostar intends to be net zero by 2030, by Dave Keating (25 November)
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By GlobalDataEnergy efficiency projects for gas infrastructure are an overlooked solution, by Dave Keating (24 November)
How does sustainability software fit into climate action?, by Dave Keating (24 November)
Opinion: COP27: A little less conversation, a little more action, please, by Katie Kouchakji (22 November)
What crypto, web3 and data storage can do for the climate, by Dave Keating (22 November)
Adaptation lessons from Israel’s Negev Desert: A source of climate hope, by Nick Ferris (22 November)
Opinion: COP27 concludes with loss and damage fund but no increased mitigation ambition, by Dave Keating (21 November)
COP27: At summit’s end, NGOs welcome loss and damage agreement but decry no increased mitigation, by Dave Keating (21 November)
COP27: “We need stable supply chains for the development of renewables”, by Dave Keating (18 November)
COP27: Should the energy crisis make the world re-evaluate the feasibility of a coal phase-out?, by Dave Keating (18 November)
Opinion: EU’s new 57% target is more about communication than increased ambition, by Dave Keating (18 November)
COP27: Indigenous leader warns against leaving out ancestral knowledge, by Nour Ghantous (18 November)
COP27: “Key decision-makers are presenting decarbonisation as something expensive and difficult”, by Dave Keating (17 November)
Too few rules on fossil fuels? The limitations of Mark Carney’s GFANZ alliance, by Polly Bindman (17 November)
Carbon markets at COP27: What’s holding up negotiations on Article 6?, by Nour Ghantous (17 November)
COP27: The underdogs did most of the work in week one. Now what?, by Nour Ghantous (16 November)
What do companies need from COP27?, by Dave Keating (16 November)
COP 27: Warsaw’s mayor has come with a very different message than the Polish government, by Dave Keating (16 November)
The interwoven fortunes of carbon markets and indigenous communities, by Oliver Gordon (16 November)
COP27: Deep geothermal “superhot rock energy” could be key to climate action, by Dave Keating (16 November)
COP27: “Energy efficiency should not be neglected” – Danfoss, by Nour Ghantous (15 November)
One year on, is coal being consigned to history?, by Dave Keating (15 November)
COP27: Cities are essential in the climate fight, says former Lord Mayor of Dublin, by Dave Keating (14 November)
Opinion: Why climate action will fail without more women at the table, by Philippa Nuttall (14 November)
COP27: “Green hydrogen is one of the bright spots of this COP” – Jonas Moberg, CEO of GH2, by Nour Ghantous (14 November)
COP27: Ukraine energy company DTEK maintains net-zero goal, by Nour Ghantous (14 November)
Opinion: COP27 comes after a year of unfulfilled COP26 promises, by Nick Ferris (11 November)
COP27: Data science can strengthen climate action, by Nour Ghantous (11 November)
COP27: Alpine Group proffers recycled textiles to combat climate, by Nour Ghantous (10 November)
Why the financial odds are stacked against developing countries, by Isabeau van Halm and Polly Bindman (9 November)
COP27: International Labour Organization wants to see a just transition “actually implemented”, by Nour Ghantous (9 November)
COP27 take note: Climate tech funding has soared in 2022, by Eric Johansson (9 November)
COP27: How countries compare on carbon emissions and pledges, by Nick Ferris (7 November)
COP27: Mattie Yeta, CGI’s chief sustainability officer, on the first-ever ‘metaverse COP’, by Nour Ghantous (7 November)
Which countries are already at net zero?, by Nick Ferris (25 October)
COP27: Manage your expectations, by Nour Ghantous (21 September)
