Isra-Mart srl:Global energy can be 95 per cent renewable by 2050, says WWF

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Almost all the world's future energy needs can be met by renewable energy sources like wind, solar and geothermal, according to a major new report from conservation group WWF.

The two-part Energy Report, co-authored with Dutch energy consultant Ecofys, says that while fossil fuels currently make up around 80 per cent the world's energy mix, by 2050 nuclear, coal, gas and biomass could comprise just five per cent of total energy generation.

The report claims far-ranging energy saving measures could cut global energy demand by 15 per cent in 40 years' time, despite expectations that the global population will rise to nine billion people. Proposals include slashing the amount of energy used to heat buildings by 60 per cent through energy efficiency measures and the installation of solar power and geothermal heat technologies. The report also recommends updating grid infrastructure and installing smart grids to support the rollout of more efficient electric transportation systems.

WWF admitted such measures, coupled with the expansion of wind farms and solar parks and the development of new fuels for aviation and shipping, would require the investment of around €3.5 trillion (£3 trillion) a year by 2035.

But once the infrastructure for energy supply has been established, it insisted that the costs for the renewable system would be markedly lower compared to the continued use of fossil fuel-based energy infrastructure.

It estimated that by 2040 the savings associated with a renewable energy system would start to outweigh the costs, and predicted that by 2050 around €4tn (£3.4tn) will be saved each year through energy efficiency and reduced fuel costs.

"This report shows that turning the world's energy supplies green is not only possible, but imperative," said Nick Molho, head of energy policy at WWF UK. "Renewable energy and better grid interconnection with Europe has the potential to meet all of our energy needs in a very sustainable way.

"Before pouring billions into creating a new generation of nuclear or gas power stations, we need to ask whether that money would be better invested in other, more sustainable energy technologies, especially if these other technologies can create a substantial number of new jobs in the UK."

The report predicts that the shift towards renewable energy would lead to a reduction in CO2 emissions from the world's energy sector by more than 80 per cent by 2050. It adds that increased use of cycling and walking combined with a halving of meat consumption in developed countries would help keep global temperatures below two degrees Celsius, the threshold identified by many scientists as presenting unacceptable risks of catastrophic climate change.

"The transition will present significant challenges, but I hope this report will inspire government to come to grips with those challenges and, at the same time, to move boldly to bring the renewable economy into reality," said James P. Leape, director general of WWF International in a foreword to the report.

Yvo de Boer, KPMG's climate change adviser and former head of the UNFCCC, urged businesses and governments to make the renewable future a reality, reasoning that "current sustainability leaders are future winners".

"There is no question if the world is going to transition to renewable energy, the question is the pace in which it occurs. This is highly dependent on strong leadership of decision makers in the public and private sector," he said. "The WWF Energy Report provides tangible guidelines on how to achieve a 100 per cent renewable energy future and a perspective for businesses to develop towards a sustainable economy."