Energy leaders say climate crisis more urgent

NEW DELHI – Energy industry leaders on Wednesday called for a fresh push in the fight against climate change and urged governments to make it easier for the world’s poor to access power sources.

“The three main global long-term challenges… (are) security of supply, struggle against climate change, and fight against energy poverty,” World Energy Council chairman Pierre Gadonneix said at an industry summit in New Delhi.

Gadonneix said energy poverty was poised to become a global issue, with 1.3 billion of the world’s population lacking access to electricity as developed nations struggle to absorb the impact of the downturn and rising energy costs.

“The fight against climate change is more and more pressing … We are now on the track to reach plus 6 degrees Centigrade global temperature increase by 2100, instead of the 2 degrees, which were recommended,” he added.

Calling 2013 the year of energy transition, Gadonneix said energy policy could no longer be managed independently of other sectors such as water, and would need to be coordinated across local, regional and global levels.

The two-day summit began on Tuesday, with government and industry representatives meeting to discuss growing challenges facing the sector.

The London-based World Energy Council is an independent network of private and public sector representatives from the oil, gas, power and renewable energy industries in 93 countries.