Such growth trends have varied impacts on
global energy transition and technology development. On the one hand, this provides market
space for development and deployment of many
new energy technologies, and positively drives
energy technology innovations. On the other
hand, conventional energy forms like coal and oil
will continue to play a significant role for a long
time, so the energy transition cannot be achieved
overnight and shifts between different energy
forms will remain for a long time (Fig. 11).
3.3 Great Uncertainty in Global
Collaborations to Combat
Climate Change
Climate change represents a unique challenge in
the present age. Currently, there is plenty of
evidence that human activities have significant
impacts on the climate; failure to make change
may result in catastrophic consequences. As
related data show, the number of published
papers that reject the conclusion that climate
change is caused by human factors is
insignificant.
In recent years, major countries have taken
action to combat climate change. In December
2015, nearly 200 ratifying parties of the United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change (UNFCCC) agreed on the Paris Agreement at the 2015 Paris Climate Conference (COP
21). This was the second legally binding climate
deal following the Kyoto Protocol of 1997.
Taking effect in November 2016, the Paris
Agreement is a milestone in the shared commitment to deliver the long-term goal of keeping the
increase in global average temperature to well
below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, and even
limit the increase to 1.5°C. The 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development, effective as of January
2016, put forward 17 sustainable development
goals (SDGs) and 169 targets. Several of the
SDGs are closely connected with energy production, transmission and consumption, as well
as with addressing climate change. They include
“ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable
and modern energy for all”; “build a resilient
infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable
industrialisation and foster innovation”; “make
cities and human settlements inclusive, safe,
resilient and sustainable”; “ensure sustainable
consumption and production patterns”; and “take
urgent action to combat climate change and its
impacts”. In addition, some countries are proactively promoting carbon taxes and carbon trading
systems to help combat climate change at
national level.
There are several misperceptions about climate change, as pointed out by the World Bank:
(i) climate change is a slow process, but individuals’ position on climate change is based on
recent experience and observations; (ii) ideology
and social loyalty affect how people accept
information on climate change; (iii) people tend
to ignore or fail to fully understand information
expressed as a probability number; (iv) people
focus more on current issues than on future ones,
but the worst impacts of climate change may not
be evident for years; (v) some risks (like climate
change) are unclear, and people tend to avoid
taking action when facing unknown situations;
and (vi) when deciding how to share responsibilities to combat climate change, individuals and
organisations tend to follow their own interests.
The intensity and pace of global actions to
address climate change impact significantly the
future direction of energy technology innovation.
Many actions aiming to combat climate change
will eventually result in the development and
deployment of new and low-carbon energy
Fig. 11 World energy consumption by industry. Source
U.S. Energy Information Administration
Special Report 3: A Study of China’s Technology Revolution
307
global energy transition and technology development. On the one hand, this provides market
space for development and deployment of many
new energy technologies, and positively drives
energy technology innovations. On the other
hand, conventional energy forms like coal and oil
will continue to play a significant role for a long
time, so the energy transition cannot be achieved
overnight and shifts between different energy
forms will remain for a long time (Fig. 11).
3.3 Great Uncertainty in Global
Collaborations to Combat
Climate Change
Climate change represents a unique challenge in
the present age. Currently, there is plenty of
evidence that human activities have significant
impacts on the climate; failure to make change
may result in catastrophic consequences. As
related data show, the number of published
papers that reject the conclusion that climate
change is caused by human factors is
insignificant.
In recent years, major countries have taken
action to combat climate change. In December
2015, nearly 200 ratifying parties of the United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change (UNFCCC) agreed on the Paris Agreement at the 2015 Paris Climate Conference (COP
21). This was the second legally binding climate
deal following the Kyoto Protocol of 1997.
Taking effect in November 2016, the Paris
Agreement is a milestone in the shared commitment to deliver the long-term goal of keeping the
increase in global average temperature to well
below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, and even
limit the increase to 1.5°C. The 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development, effective as of January
2016, put forward 17 sustainable development
goals (SDGs) and 169 targets. Several of the
SDGs are closely connected with energy production, transmission and consumption, as well
as with addressing climate change. They include
“ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable
and modern energy for all”; “build a resilient
infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable
industrialisation and foster innovation”; “make
cities and human settlements inclusive, safe,
resilient and sustainable”; “ensure sustainable
consumption and production patterns”; and “take
urgent action to combat climate change and its
impacts”. In addition, some countries are proactively promoting carbon taxes and carbon trading
systems to help combat climate change at
national level.
There are several misperceptions about climate change, as pointed out by the World Bank:
(i) climate change is a slow process, but individuals’ position on climate change is based on
recent experience and observations; (ii) ideology
and social loyalty affect how people accept
information on climate change; (iii) people tend
to ignore or fail to fully understand information
expressed as a probability number; (iv) people
focus more on current issues than on future ones,
but the worst impacts of climate change may not
be evident for years; (v) some risks (like climate
change) are unclear, and people tend to avoid
taking action when facing unknown situations;
and (vi) when deciding how to share responsibilities to combat climate change, individuals and
organisations tend to follow their own interests.
The intensity and pace of global actions to
address climate change impact significantly the
future direction of energy technology innovation.
Many actions aiming to combat climate change
will eventually result in the development and
deployment of new and low-carbon energy
Fig. 11 World energy consumption by industry. Source
U.S. Energy Information Administration
Special Report 3: A Study of China’s Technology Revolution
307