What the wind industry wants from COP27

The 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) is currently being held in the coastal resort of Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt, and will span 6-18 November. 

The key aim of the conference is to ensure the full implementation of the 2015 Paris Agreement, through which countries agreed to try to limit global warming to 1.5C above pre-industrial limits.

For the first time, the controversial concept of ‘Loss and Damage’ payments has been added to the agenda: whereby developing countries are compensated by developed ones for the impacts caused by the richer countries’ disproportionate contribution to the planet’s emission of greenhouse gases.

Formally opening the COP27 summit today (7 November), Egyptian president Abdel Fattah El-Sisi called for the world to work “hand-in-hand” to combat climate change.

GWEC’s manifesto for COP27 comprises eight actionable points, primarily calling for Paris signatories to “streamline planning and permitting, upgrade grid infrastructure and evolve power markets to accelerate renewable energy deployment.” The council wants the industry to “scale up its ambition” by aiming for higher volumes of power in its projects.

Wind turbine giant Vestas called for faster permitting processes to ensure renewables deployment keeps pace with what is required under the Paris Agreement. “There is four times more wind energy trapped in permitting than there is under construction” it stated.

Meanwhile, rival turbine manufacturer Siemens Gamesa highlighted the need for collaboration “between regions, countries, and the public and private sector” at COP27. It stressed the urgency of this year’s annual conference – claiming “it is now or never “  – as well as the importance of “implementation”.