July/August 2004

Views expressed are those of the authors, not necessarily of the AFSC.

Renewing Commitments to Clean Energy

Sarah Klinkenberg is a student at Oberlin College and an intern at Peacework Magazine.

Greenpeace activists scaled a 700-foot smoke stack in Masontown, PA to protest US energy policies, June 23, 2004. The six activists face felony charges. Photo: © Robert Visser/Greenpeace.

While energy use is rapidly increasing throughout the world, there remains an overwhelming dependence on fossil fuels. In 2001, about 86 per cent of the world's primary energy supply came from oil, gas, coal, and nuclear power sources. Yet oil prices are at their highest sustained levels in almost twenty years, atmospheric CO₂ concentrations are higher than ever before, and the Arctic ice cap is melting. Such realities informed the delegates to the International Conference for Renewable Energies, held in Bonn, Germany, from June 1-4, 2004.

Over 3,000 participants from over a hundred federal and state governments from around the world, and from numerous non-governmental organizations (NGOs) gathered in Bonn to discuss the role of renewable energy in solving worldwide energy concerns. It has been 23 years since the last world conference on renewable energies, held in Nairobi, Kenya in 1981. Since that time, renewable energy's share of the global total has changed little. In his keynote address at the Bonn conference, Jake Waller-Hunter of the UN emphasized the importance and urgency of accelerating the adoption of renewables in order to face the growing greenhouse gas threat. A massive and committed switch to renewable energies, which, in contrast to oil and coal, are almost completely carbon-free, is our planet's best hope.

Unlike previous conferences of this kind, the gathering was not separated into governmental and non-governmental groups. As a result, representatives from governments and non-governmental groups were able to work together.

A handful of the countries represented at the conference have already begun to facilitate the development of renewable energy sources on a national level. Notable examples include Iceland, where 70% of the energy supply is from renewable sources (primarily geothermal); Germany, where wind-based power represents about one-third of the wind-based power generated in the entire world; and Finland, where dependence on fossil fuels is deterred by the implementation of a CO₂ tax.

While some US state governments have made progress in the area of sustainable development, the federal government has not. This issue was highlighted in Bonn by California Energy Commissioner John Geesman, who openly expressed his disappointment at the "feeble" role played by the US government at the conference, and its lack of commitment to implementing national renewable energy policies. He went on to describe the Clean Energy State Alliance (12 US states committed to the use of clean energy technologies) as a united force at odds with its national government, and compared it to the 13 North American colonies which rose up against colonial rule. Although representatives from other countries observed that the US was less obstructionist in Bonn than it had been in a previous conference on climate change in Johannesburg, Geesman was not alone in being unimpressed by the US. In describing the outcome of the conference, Jennifer Morgan of the World Wildlife Fund explained that progress was made, "despite the vested interests of the oil and coal industries, and countries such as the United States and Saudi Arabia, which tried to block progress."

Even without significant commitments from the US government, the conference was generally hailed as a success. As expected, the conference produced a Political Declaration and an International Action Program, which includes national and regional targets and commitments to promote the use of renewable energy. The declaration sets forth a monitoring process to ensure that commitments made in the Action program are implemented. The most notable contributions included a pledge by China to significantly increase renewable energy power generation, so that it will account for 10% of its generating capacity by 2010. Germany, Denmark, Egypt, and the Philippines also made significant commitments. Although most were less ambitious, 165 individual commitments were made by governments and international and private groups to promote renewable energy, demonstrating widespread support for the cause. Conference participants also noted high levels of enthusiasm and optimism among the delegates, and praised the conference for the momentum it created.

Despite the importance of this conference and its positive outcomes, mainstream US media coverage of the event has been minimal. Yet, climate change and dependency on fossil fuels affect everyone, and a commitment to renewable energy sources is necessary from every government, especially that of the US. Twelve US state governments have voiced a commitment to promoting clean energy sources; the national government must be encouraged to do the same. As Geesman said to those gathered in Bonn, "Join with us. Work with us. Together we can change the world."

The McCain-Lieberman Climate Stewardship Act includes plans to decrease global warming and the US's dependence on foreign energy sources, and would promote shifts to renewable energy. Contact your legislators to express your opinion. For ideas on how to reduce energy use at home, visit www.nrdc.org/air/energy/genergy.asp.

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