The energy sector is facing increasing pressures from climate change. All segments of the industry will be affected by the changing global climate and the policy responses to it. So says a briefing published jointly by the World Energy Council (WEC), the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL), the Cambridge Judge Business School, and the European Climate Foundation.

Cover Climate Change – Implications for the Energy Sector -Summary from IPCC AR5 2014The briefing, released on 18 June at the Asian Clean Energy Forum in Manila, brings into sharp focus the energy-related findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) for policymakers and business leaders in the energy sector. It identifies the need to incorporate climate change mitigation and adaptation measures into energy policymaking, infrastructure planning, and investment decisions.

The briefing, ‘Climate Change: implications for the energy sector”, reveals:

Energy demand is increasing globally, causing an increase in greenhouse gas emissions from the energy sector. The trend is set to continue, driven primarily by economic growth and rising population.

Climate change presents increasing challenges for energy production and transmission as a result of temperature increase, extreme weather events, […]