Wind industry charts path out of energy crises

The five-point plan, accelerating renewables to achieve energy security, affordability and climate action, addresses the need to restore order to energy

The Global Wind Energy Council (‘GWEC’) has published an action plan for policymakers to steer a way out of the current energy and climate change crises.

The five-point plan,“Accelerating renewables to achieve energy security, affordability and climate action”, addresses the need to restore order to energy markets while meeting climate goals and creating a secure, stable energy transition. The plan is published against the background of record temperatures and economic stress around the world driven by these crises.

A heatwave has caused thousands of deaths in Spain and Portugal, while drought and wildfires have affected France, Italy, Greece, Croatia, Turkey and Morocco this year. Historic high temperatures are hitting the UK and US, India has experienced a series of heatwaves over recent months and China endured its hottest June on record this year. Meanwhile, the energy crisis has contributed to an economic crisis, massive civil unrest and political instability in Sri Lanka.

These events are connected, and symptomatic of a disorderly, volatile energy transition. They highlight the need for urgent action to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy to ease economic pain, lower energy costs and put us on a net zero pathway. Wind energy can be rapidly scaled up in the next few years to offer solutions to power price volatility, energy insecurity and fossil fuel dependency.