What if countries were tackling Climate Change with the same intensity and urgency as Covid-19?

The Covid-19 crisis forced governments to take radical actions to save the life of millions of people.

Governments struggle to solve this issue, but they put all their resources and power in motion to get quick results. Personal freedom and rights have been suspended in order to gain time and save the maximum number of lives. Complete parts of the economy have been shut-down, and a tremendous amount of capital has been allocated to this crisis.

I feel sad for all people impacted by this crisis: whether losing loved ones, being isolated, feeling depressed and lonely, or dealing with a terrible financial situation (business goes bankrupt, loss of employment, poverty, etc.).

I am very impressed by the collective efforts made to solve this problem quickly. Accepting for a limited period negative personal impacts for the greater good of the community is very inspiring.

The Covid-19 crisis shows what we can achieve when working together towards a given goal. All countries and governments work together with solidarity to address a threat to our species. Isn't it Mankind at its best?

Climate Change is reported in 2021 as the number one risk by the World Economic Forum. It even tops the pandemic risk! But it seems difficult for Governments to take radical actions against this 'invisible' threat. Countries are falling short of the commitments they took as part of the Paris Agreement five years ago. Most of them now have very long-term goals (2040 or 2050), and the risk for them not delivering on the CO2 savings we need is still very high. Governments seem to delay important decisions while we are already running out of time.

But what would it look like if governments were tackling Climate Change with the same urgency and intensity as Covid-19? What if they would use similar playbooks as the ones created for the pandemic?

Let's imagine what the world would look like in a kind of docufiction.

Governments would share clear indicators about Climate Change and the problems we face, holding monthly press conferences. These numbers would be easily understood and accessible by everyone per department, region, state, country:

● The current concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere 

● Monthly GHG emissions

● Monthly coal consumption

● Monthly oil & gas consumption

● Report on the significant closures of GHG infrastructures

Governments would take safety measures to protect society from Climate Change.

● Temporary closure of the top 10 most CO2 emitting infrastructures in the country until GHG emissions reduction plan communicated and approved

● Ban of sales of new ICE cars by 2024

● Ban of gas for HVAC in new homes by 2024 

● Ban of sales of non-energy efficient appliances by 2023 (can sell only highly energy-efficient equipment)

● Closure of all coal plants and gas peaker plants by 2026

● Ban of gas for existing homes by 2035

● Ban of ICE cars for daily usage by 2035 (it would require a special license, and the owner would pay a carbon tax per km)

● Carbon reporting mandatory for all companies with more than EUR 10Mln turnover by 2024

● Obligation to communicate to the consumer the CO2 footprint of every good and service by 2025

● One free CO2 audit per year for household and business with less than EUR 10 Mln turnover starting from 2022

Governments would define Economic support packages to address the Climate Change crisis.

● Subsidies package for Electrification program (homes, buildings, cars, planes)

● Subsidies package for Renewable Energy & Storage infrastructures

● Support transition package for impacted industries (Automotive, Cement, Aerospace, O&G, etc...)

● Green Electricity check for a household with electric HVAC with low income

● National Education program for electricians, energy and HVAC specialists, carbon accountants

● Mandatory Carbon taxes by 2025. 

Governments would communicate monthly KPIs used to track the energy transition progress per department, region, country:

● Energy efficiency: Kwh per habitat per day

● Electrification rate (share of electricity in total final energy consumption)

● Decarbonization rate of electricity (shares of renewables and nuclear energy in the total electricity production, g of CO2-eq per Kwh)

● Electrification rate of personal mobility: km by ICE vehicles vs. km by electric vehicles, number of ICE cars vs. electric cars

● Electric mobility charging infrastructure progress deployment report

Governments would maintain a list of their on-going mitigation actions per department, region, state, country:

● Net present GHG savings potential of current approved and financed mitigation actions.

● Renewable Energy & Energy storage capacity permitted.

● Renewable Energy & Energy storage capacity under construction to go on-line this month

● Renewable Energy & Energy storage capacity under construction to go on-line this year

● Renewable Energy & Energy storage capacity under construction to go on-line in the next five years

● EV charging infrastructure readiness: number of charging points, number of superchargers

● Ratio ICE vs. Electric for the new vehicles

Governments would communicate the list of super-GHG-emitters and force them to report progress on their transition monthly.

● GHG 500: global top 500 GHG emitters watchlist

● Automotive industry association

● Airline industry association

● Shipping industry association

● ICT industry association

● Cement industry association

Governments would take legal actions against individuals, businesses, and countries working against the Paris Agreement targets.

● Governments would impose an embargo against countries not aligned with the Paris agreement to avoid "Carbon paradises".

● Governments would seize rooftop spaces able to accommodate more than 1MWp of solar rooftop but not in use after 2023 and offer them to solar developers.

Medias would provide programs to educate us along the journey:

● Maps with hot spots of GHG emissions

● Report on key indicators per department, region, countries

● Showcase energy transition success stories

Surprisingly the impacts of these measures on the population seem limited compared to the current ones addressing the pandemic. Personal freedom is indeed much less impacted. People could still live a 'normal' life.

These actions would also trigger a 5th industrial revolution.

All sectors of the economy would have to reinvent themself to become more carbon efficient.

All businesses and administrations would be bustling in the next five years, creating and producing new climate-friendly products, services, and business models.

I believe it is what a GREEN RECOVERY could be.

#climateaction #energytransition #globalwarming #docufiction #renewableenergy  #electricmobility #electrification #climatechange #climateactionnow