Concomitantly with the release by the RS of the views on climate change by five of its "family" of scientists, the President of the Royal Society, Martin Rees, has written in this week's editorial in  Science, "...governments of industrial countries are not facing up to the huge energy challenges that lie ahead [in meeting the world's future energy demands]. That is disquieting because the International Energy Agency is predicting that by 2030, based on current national policies, 80% of the world's primary energy demand will be met by fossil fuels. Meanwhile, nuclear, hydro, biomass, and waste will provide 17%, and other renewables, such as geothermal, solar, and wind energy, will only account for less than 2%.

    "As a result, the IEA projects that annual energy-related emissions of carbon dioxide will be 52% higher in 2030 than in 2003. Unless there is a radical change, the world will continue to become more reliant on fossil fuels beyond 2030. Without unfeasibly dramatic breakthroughs in carbon sequestration and energy efficiency, this will lead to proportionate increases in atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations."

 

Professor Rees was also interviewed for Radio 4's Today programme (UK) saying that the challenge of developing new technologies to meet global energy demand while tackling climate change needs an initiative similar to the Apollo' or Manhattan' projects on an international scale.

 

Chick here to hear the 7'49" interview. Requires Real Player.