Energy And Climate Planning To 2050 – Audio Recording

UK Professional Engineering Institutions lead Global Engineering Alliance to develop National Energy and Climate Change plans

Project will provide guidance to international engineering institutions to encourage them to write energy strategies for their own nations in order to tackle climate change

09 February 2018

A network of UK and Danish engineering organisations are embarking on the next phase of a project designed to encourage international engineering institutions to work with their respective governments on their country’s engineering-based climate and energy plans. These aim to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases to a sustainable level, defined as limiting global temperature increase to 2°C.

The Future Climate – Engineering Solutions (FC–ES) project is designed to work together with national governments to develop, share and implement best practice in developing plans, for the period up to the year 2050.

The initiative was established by The Danish Society of Engineers (IDA) in 2009, ahead of the Conference of the Parties to the UN’s Framework Convention on Climate Change. The IDA recognised that there was a gap between climate science and public policy which needed to be filled by engineers presenting practical and affordable solutions.

Now in its fourth phase, the project will focus on increasing the global network to enable more countries to participate. Led by Andy Webster and Alex Howe with a partnership of UK Engineering Institutions, this phase will bring together participating countries at a symposium on energy and climate plans, to help make each country’s commitments a reality.

Thomas Damkjær Petersen, President of the Danish Society of Engineers said:

“When we had the idea in 2008 to bring the engineering voice alongside the existing voices in driving change for our climate, we had no idea where this journey would take us. As we start the 4th phase with this report, I’m extremely proud that we continue to bring that voice, and that Danish engineers alongside engineers from across the world continue to bring practical, tested, and understood ideas to the public, to interested parties and to governments”

Dr Alison Cooke, Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineering said:

“I was so inspired by FC-ES in 2009 that I offered to lead FC-ES into another Phase and was Chair from 2011-2013. In the aftermath of the UN Paris Agreement, there is a need more than ever for engineers to come alongside governments and help with evidence-based policy-making. This is the vision of FC-ES.”

Beatriz Fernandez, Consultant at the United Nations Environment Programme said:

“The strength of Future Climate – Engineering Solutions lies in driving collaboration between governments, policy makers and science. The opportunity we had at COP21 to present FC-ES was an exciting experience that clearly indicated this project is so needed to advance the climate change agenda. I am excited to see what FC-ES can bring and help deliver to tackle climate change.”

Jacob Ohrvik-Stott, MEng, Member Institution of Chemical Engineers said:

“Overcoming climate change is the foremost challenge for engineers in the 21^st century. Targets for the reduction of carbon emissions have been set at around 80% for developed nations and the UK government has adopted targets that will require a 57% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

“Such a radical change needs well thought-through, clearly defined plans and for engineers to come together to support each other in order to meet the aims set out in the UN’s Paris Agreement. If we are to transition to a low-carbon society, then engineers will play a vital role in providing practical and proven solutions.”

To read a copy of the report please follow the link.

Notes to Editors

• The Future Climate – Engineering Solutions alliance is led by representatives from The Institution of Mechanical Engineers and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with support from The Institution of Engineering and Technology, The United Nations, Global Association for Transition Engineering, Future Climate-Engineering Solutions, Institution of Chemical Engineers, Institution of Civil Engineers, World Federation of Engineering Organizations and The Danish Society of Engineers.
• Contact the Institution of Mechanical Engineers’ Press Office on 020 7973 1261 or email media@imeche.org
• Further information on the Danish Society of Engineers can be found here https://english.ida.dk/what-is-ida

The future climate Engineering Solutions has been running for almost 10 years bringing the skills of engineers to the climate conversation. COP23 being the cost time the countries meet to look at progress against their own self determined contributions should be full of engineers looking at the results, explaining the gaps and offering solutions to close and learning from those that exceeded.

Find out details in this wonderful and interesting presentation at COP23 by the Future Climate Engineering Solutions.

FCES Bonn presentation

On Wednesday 8 November 2017 the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) Energy Centre, in collaboration with the Future Climate – Engineering Solutions (FC-ES) network, hosted a UK government pavilion event at the COP23 UN Climate Change Conference in Bonn, Germany. As nations look for opportunities to deliver and accelerate commitments to the historic Paris Climate Change Agreement at COP23, the discussions offered a timely reminder of the importance of industry and government collaboration in developing achievable emissions reduction strategies.

Speakers from a range of engineering sectors discussed evidence-based solutions for putting climate policies into action, calling for a deeper partnership between governments and engineers to develop effective implementation strategies.

Opening discussions, FC-ES steering group member Beatriz Fernandez presented the findings of the network’s National Energy Planning Good Practice Framework. The Framework brings together insights from developers of national energy plans across the globe to understand the key features of an effective plan. Reflecting on the project, Ms. Fernandez emphasised the need for early stakeholder engagement and equal consideration of factors such as affordability, security and sustainability.

The importance of considering the wider context in energy and climate planning was echoed by IChemE Energy Centre board member Mark Apsey, who outlined the benefits of chemical engineers’ systems thinking approach for addressing the challenge of the water-food-energy nexus: “As engineers we think about not how to fix one part of the problem – We look at our choices in the whole system to understand what the best options are. We have an opportunity to decouple economic growth with carbon emissions. [Systems thinking] can help us realise this”

Andy Webster, Co-Chair of the Future Climate – Engineering Solutions network and a Fellow of the IMechE, outlined the UK Department for Business of Energy and Industrial Strategy’s Global Calculator project, discussing its use by government, NGOs and the public to explore the relationship lifestyle choices, the energy system and climate impacts.

“The most important thing is understanding the boundaries we as nations face, and the need for a mix of solutions to achieve decarbonisation. The Global Calculator shifts thinking around energy and climate towards evidence-based solutions, and discussing these solutions with the public and other stakeholders is vital. The calculator introduces them in an accessible way, based on principles of openness, collaboration and simplicity.

“[Engineers] can help policy makers think about consequences to choices. We want to help people make the right decisions.”

Speaking after the event, Mr Webster said:

 “This was the first time I personally have participated in the COP event and it’s been a really positive experience. The voice of engineers remains largely absent from the UNs climate programme, and as a fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers I’m convinced we must continue to show up and speak up. We must use our skills to enable governments, the public, NGO’s and activists to understand the technical opportunities available to them to deliver on their climate goals, and more importantly the connectedness of their choices. We must work hard to avoid advocacy in answering the questions ‘does this technology work’ so that the public debate is informed and robust, and ultimately successful in achieving a reduction in carbon. I’m excited that off the back of this event, we will work with other national engineering organisations and across the engineering organisations in the UK to develop these options in our Energy and Climate plans.”

Chair of the IChemE Energy Centre, Stefaan Simons, said: “The considerable challenge of meeting emissions reduction targets cannot happen without a deep collaboration between industry and policy makers. The IChemE Energy Centre’s involvement the Future Climate – Engineering Solutions is a great example of what the engineering profession can bring to this partnership.

Engineering solutions are fundamental to developing coherent national energy and climate plans, and COP23 is an excellent platform for us to highlight the role the sector must play in delivering them. Strategies that underpin such plans, from improving resource and energy efficiency to making the transition to low carbon fuels, rely on the expertise of chemical engineers, and the Energy Centre will be producing Green Papers on these issues in 2018.” 

Notes to media

For more information please contact:

Tara Wilson, PR and Communications Manager, IChemE
t: +44 (0) 1788 534454 / +44 (0) 1788 534454
e: twilson@icheme.org

Jacob Ohrvik-Stott, Policy Officer – Energy, IChemE
t: +44 (0) 207 927 8182
e: johrvik-stott@icheme.org

About the IChemE Energy Centre

The IChemE Energy Centre is a forum for the chemical and process engineering community to provide decision makers around the world with authoritative and impartial advice on energy issues.

The centre uses this unique expertise to provide government and industry with insights needed to develop effective energy policy and address the energy challenges of national and global importance

For more information, visit: http://www.icheme.org/energycentre

About the Future-Climate Engineering Solutions

Future Climate – Engineering Solutions (FC-ES) is a global alliance of national engineering institutions working to develop and share good practice in national energy and climate planning, with the objective to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and dependence on fossil energy. The alliance provides policy makers and industry with engineering solutions and insights to support the global 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.

For more information, visit: www.fc-es.net

Click to download full event flyer

We will be attending the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bonn, Germany this year to discuss good practice in National Energy and Climate Planning as part of the UK Government COP23 pavilion.

Please see below for more details on the event:

Good practice in Climate and Energy Planning: Engineering Solutions for Delivering NDCs 

Date:                11.45 -12.45 (GMT+2), 8 November 2017

Location:          UN Climate Change Conference – November 2017, Bonn, Germany

Venue:              UK Pavilion, Bonn Zone, World Conference Centre Bonn

Organiser:         Future Climate – Engineering Solutions/ IChemE Energy Centre

Contact Name: Jacob Ohrvik-Stott

Contact Phone: +44 (0) 207 927 8182

Contact Email: energycentre@icheme.org

Find the event flyer here

Future Climate – Engineering Solutions (FC-ES) is a global alliance of national engineering institutions working to develop and share good practice in national energy and climate planning. In this event members of the FC-ES network will present tools and guidance for developing effective emissions reduction strategies, focusing on the use of science-based engineering solutions to the challenge of delivering Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

FC-ES representatives will present the fourth iteration of the group’s National Energy Planning Good Practice Framework and reflect on the key features of effective national climate and energy plans from across the globe. Speakers will also discuss systems thinking approaches to balancing sustainability and security across the water, food, and energy nexus and the UK Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy’s Global Calculator project, considering the international context of implementing NDCs.

Speakers include:

• Andrew Webster, Future-Climate Engineering Solutions Steering Group/ IMechE
• Beatriz Fernandez, Future-Climate Engineering Solutions Steering Group/ Consultant to the United Nations Environment Programme
• Mark Apsey, Future-Climate Engineering Solutions Steering Group/ IChemE Energy Centre

Register your interest

Whilst no booking is required for this event, spaces are limited and can be reserved by contacting energy@icheme.org prior to the event.  Please note attendance is open to Bonn Zone pass-holders only.

Baroness Brown of Cambridge (a cross bench peer in the House of Lords and the Chair of the Adaptation Sub-committee of the Committee on Climate Change) explains the impacts of climate change (for example on national food supply) and talks about how engineers can help implement adaption strategies for the problems that will arise from climate change.

Roseanna Cunningham stresses that Glasgow was at the heart of the industrial revolution with it’s emphasis on the ship building industry and transatlantic trade. She asserts that it will continue to be an agent for change in the transformation of the new green economy as a response to challenges that are arising from climate change.

By cutting out red meat in our diets it is arguably possible to reach the UKs 80% reduction in emissions by 2050 (to explore this more click here for government emissions pathway calculator http://2050-calculator-tool.decc.gov.uk/#/calculator)

Liz Bowles explains it is more complicated than that, she says “the consumption of white meat has quadrupled over the last 40 years.” This leads to a need for greater cereal production.

Dr Alison Cooke (C.Eng.) asks Joel his opinion on the role that engineers play in implementing the climate change solutions needed facing the changes of the future, and the importance of climate change to the youth of Scotland.

Dr Alison Cooke (C.Eng.) asking Duncan (Chief Resilience Officer for Glasgow) on how Glasgow has been adapting to the changing climate and what role engineers have played in coming up with and implementing solutions to the climate change issue.