Solar and wind power is growing worldwide, but so is electricity consumption: as a result, renewables are often only added to the energy mix, rather than replacing fossil fuels.
Reducing energy demand would make net zero more achievable, but it recieves far less attention than decarbonisation efforts. This may be due to a perception that managing energy demand would be politically unpopular, requiring governments to make radical interventions into people’s lifestyles and spending.
Oliver Broad, Senior Research Fellow at University College London, tells Alasdair that such fears are unfounded. His team’s research found that the UK could reduce energy demand by 52% without new tech or overly disruptive societal change, and has worked with policymakers and public focus groups to demonstrate political acceptability.
Officially we promise to do a lot of things for the climate in Switzerland. But the Parliament and Government do not want to hear about restricting anything. In reality we are going to miss our 2030 objectives, but they are going to claim that there is nothing we should change. The 2000 watt society is not going to hold the second some AI industrialist convince them it is absolutely necessary for the economy.
That’s the problem with our rightwing politicians and government that finally needs to be balanced towards professionals who want to solve actual problems.
Unfortunately we still lie to ourselves about how our farmers do their best for the environment.