GENEVA (AP) – The head of the UN weather agency says the war in Ukraine “can be seen as a boon” from a climate perspective because it accelerates development and investment in green energy in the longer term – albeit fossil fuels are now being phased out at a time used in high demand.
The comments from Petteri Taalas, secretary-general of the World Meteorological Organization, came as the world faces energy shortages – caused in part by economic sanctions on key oil and natural gas producer Russia – and fossil fuel prices have risen.
This has prompted some countries to quickly turn to alternatives such as coal. But rising prices for carbon-emitting fuels like oil, gas and coal have also made higher-priced renewables like solar, wind and hydrothermal energy more competitive in the energy market.
The energy crisis has also prompted many major consumer countries in Europe and beyond to introduce austerity measures and there has been talk of rationing.
Taalas acknowledged that the war in Ukraine had “shocked the European energy sector” and led to a boost in fossil fuel use.
“From the five to 10 year timescale, it’s clear that this war in Ukraine will accelerate our use of fossil energy, and it’s accelerating this green transition,” Taalas said.
“So we’re going to invest a lot more in renewable energy and energy-saving solutions,” and some small nuclear reactors will likely come online by 2030 as “part of the solution,” he said.
“So, from a climate point of view, the war in Ukraine can be seen as a blessing,” Taalas added.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and other leaders in the UN system have repeatedly pointed out that “aside from the tragic human impact, the conflict underscores the rising costs of the world’s dependence on fossil fuels and the urgent need to accelerate the transition to renewables to protect people and the planet,” said UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric.
Taalas was speaking as the WMO released a new report that says the supply of electricity from cleaner sources must double in the next eight years to stem a rise in global temperatures.
The latest annual State of Climate Services report – based on input from 26 different organizations – focuses this year on energy.
Taalas said the energy sector is currently responsible for about three-quarters of heat-trapping greenhouse gas emissions, and he called for a “complete transformation” of the global energy system.
He warned that climate change was affecting power generation – and could have an even greater impact in the future. Among the risks, nuclear power plants that rely on water for cooling could be affected by water shortages, and some are located in coastal areas prone to sea level rise or flooding.
In its report, the WMO found that in 2020, around 87% of the world’s electricity generation from thermal, nuclear and hydroelectric systems – which produce less CO2 than fossil-fuelled plants – depended on the availability of water.