Page 65 - European Energy Innovation - summer 2019 publication

Summer 2019 European Energy Innovation 65

GLOBAL WARMING

societal models. Only trough allowing In contrast, in the aftermath of the ambition to combat the highest
non-linear and cross-sectoral 2008 financial crisis, more than threat human kind has ever faced.
approaches fostering collaborative €1,400 billion of direct aid from Governments have now a historical
contribution of wide categories public money were authorized to 215 responsibility to boldly reset the
of historically disconnected financial institutions4 representing societal priorities by channeling
stakeholders into a joint co-creation about 70 times the world public public money and stimulating private
and co-designing effort, could human annual speding in low carbon RD&D. investment with the scale and speed
being invent new appealing society required by the immense challenge
models and lifestyles that can be This suggests an absolute of transforming the technological,
deployed and generalized at the misjudgment of urgency, and the economic and societal foundations
required speed and scale. absence of political vision and needed to decarbonize the society. l

Governments have a historical About EERA
responsibility in redirecting funding
Progress beyond any expectations The European Energy Research Alliance (EERA) is an association of
has been achieved in many low- European public research centers and universities active in low-carbon
carbon technologies. But to fully energy research.
unleash the potential of existing and
upcoming technologies, to redesign EERA’s mission is to Catalyse European energy research to achieve a
the technological, financial and carbon neutral society by 2050.
societal system in which they need
to interact, much more ambitious Bringing together more than 250 organizations from 30 countries, EERA
funding programs are needed, both at coordinates research activities through 17 joint research programs. EERA
national and international levels. is a key player and official partner in the EU’s Strategic Energy Technology
According to IEA, the global public (SET) Plan.
low-carbon energy RD&D budget was In line with its Mission, EERA is committed to supporting Europe in
about €20 billion in 20183. achieving a successful energy transition in line with the EU’s climate 2050
goals and Paris commitments.

[1] Climate Action Tracker, December 2018 update
[2] “Sunrise” FET Flagship preparatory phase – an EERA partnership led consortium
[3] IEA Statistics – Energy technology RD&D budgets – May 2019
[4] The cost of interventions in the financial sector since 2008 in the EU countries “, Antonio Millaruelo and Ana del Río, Banco de Espana, Eurosistema, April 2017

www.europeanenergyinnovation.eu