World in Transition – Towards Sustainable Energy Systems

German Advisory Council on Global Change

Earthscan, London,
ISBN 1-85383-882-9, 242 pages, £ 60,00.

"The publication of 'World in Transition: Towards Sustainable Energy Systems' is timely indeed. The World Summit on Sustainable Development gave great attention to this challenge, but failed to agree on a quantitative, time-bound target for the introduction of renewable energy sources. The German Advisory Council on Global Change (WBGU) has now produced a report with a global focus; this is essential in view of the global impacts of climatic changes. The report provides a convincing long-term analysis; this, too, is essential, for global energy policies must take a long-term perspective, over a time frame of 50 to 100 years, while providing concrete guidance for decision makers to be implemented now. There is an urgent need to identify paths by which to secure energy supply for the 2.4 billion people who still depend upon traditional biomass, while keeping clearly in view the need to combine this challenge with the prevention of perilous climatic changes. Our one world must close the gap between industrialized countries’ surfeit and developing countries’ poverty. Policies will need to consider both the broader environmental and specific climate exigencies. I recommend this book very warmly to everyone concerned with global energy issues."

Prof. Dr. Klaus Töpfer
Executive Director
United Nations Environment Programme

The report underscores the urgent need to transform global energy systems so that the world’s population has access to energy based on renewable sources. This is necessary in order to protect the global climate and to liberate 2.4 billion people in developing countries from energy poverty. Such an approach would also yield a peace dividend by reducing dependence upon regionally concentrated oil reserves. The scientists stress that such a reconfiguration of energy systems is feasible and fundable if rapid and resolute action is taken in the coming two decades. To this end, they propose a roadmap with specific milestones.

The Summary for Policy-Makers can be obtained through the WBGU Secretariat or downloaded here.

Commissioned Expert's Studies
For this Report, the Council has commissioned expert's studies, which are available for download (in German only – 1 study in English):

	von Bieberstein Koch-Weser: Nachhaltigkeit von Wasserkraft. (612 KB, 15 S.)
	Edenhofer, Bauer, Kriegler: Szenarien zum Umbau des Energiesystems. (6,8 MB, 167 S.)
	Horlacher: Globale Potenziale der Wasserkraft. (556 KB, 22 S.)
	Kaltschmitt, Merten, Fröhlich, Nill: Energiegewinnung aus Biomasse. (1,2 MB, 150 S.)
	Maurer: The Transition from Fossil to Renewable Energy Systems: What Role for Export Credit Agencies? (608 KB, 31 S.)
	Nitsch: Potenziale der Wasserstoffwirtschaft. (1,7 MB, 36 S.)
	Ploetz: Sequestrierung von CO2 – Technologien, Potenziale, Kosten und Umweltauswirkungen. (680 KB, 25 S.)
	Reusswig, Gerlinger, Edenhofer: Lebensstile und globaler Energieverbrauch. Analyse und Str. (1,3 MB, 107 S.)

The following Expert's Studies relate to the supply of data or to model runs, so that results are not or not only available in written form.