COP26-COP27
What do we do as EESG in relation to each of the below?
What was said at COP26
Coal phased down
It was noted that planning permission had been given for a coal mine in Cumbria for use as coking coal. There is not much iron ore left, and it was suggested that we need to make up our minds as to whether want steel industry or not.
It was noted that heat was not tackled at all at COP26 – EESG could raise the profile. We could help other engineers, including help with innovation, putting us in better position to compete with China and export technology.
It was suggested that we do with coal in this country is almost irrelevant in terms of overall global emissions. The UK is closing down a handful of aging coal power stations, from which we have already extracted economic benefit and released emissions. It was pointed out that China was commissioning 1GW coal-fired power station every 5 days.
It was suggested that if the UK stops producing steel, we will import from abroad, and won’t report in our greenhouse gas emission numbers.
EESG can act to support inclusion of embodied emissions.
It was suggested that we need more recycled steel, reducing emissions, based on lower energy input requirements, both for aluminium and steel.
The question was asked as to what the future would look like if materials were in more of a circular process than the linear process of mining through to disposal. It was suggested that there is an engineering role to apply engineering differently, so the product does not degrade each time there is recycling.
Methane emissions reduction
Mention was made of the collaboration of philanthropists towards methane emissions reduction. Methane emissions contribute to 1/3 of greenhouse gas impact in terms of CO2 equivalent emissions.
It was stated that anthropogenic methane emissions are mostly from the food production industry, mostly from wastage of food. It was stated that if food wastage was a country, it would be the 3rd biggest emitter of greenhouse gas emissions globally after China and the US. It was stated that the cold chain is largest part of food preservation from farm to fork. It was suggested that it isn’t necessarily a lifestyle reduction to use food efficiently, but that the greenhouse gas emissions reduction is enormous. It was stated that there is enough food produced in this world to feed 12 billion people. Biggest problem was said to be the lack of cold chain technology, e.g. pears in Mumbai are most likely to have been grown in Portugal, because there are no local cold chain facilities that aren’t dependent on mains electricity. This is an example of an area where engineers can have an effect.
People think about blue hydrogen, but it was stated that hydrogen is a terrible energy vector, and secondly in its production there will be significant emissions of methane from leakage and the process not being 100% efficient.
A best estimate for blue hydrogen CO2 reduction was given as being only about 60% of CO2 captured from conversion of carbon in the fossil fuel source to carbon dioxide.
It was stated that although methane is less abundant than carbon dioxide, and stays in the atmosphere for less time, the global warming potential (GWP) is 30 times that of CO2 . Linked to this, it was noted that the Carbon Trust has produced a document on Christmas trees, indicating that they should be burnt rather than put in landfill.
It was noted that there are large landfill tips in Africa, and that these could be covered more, allowing methane capture and use. It was suggested that these could be deployed quickly.
The idea was suggested of using a tea bag as a case study or illustration of climate change impact and potential mitigation. It was stated that the average British person uses 5 teabags day, equivalent in terms of emissions to driving a Vauxhall Corsa 1.5 km down the road. Potentially this impact could be mitigated through anaerobic digestion (pointing to 28 x more than CO2 global warming potential over 100 years of methane emitted from landfill of teabags).
It was noted that methane emissions reduction is also Tim Fox’s area and that this, and anaerobic digestion, was relevant to the Food and Drink Engineering Committee. This is an opportunity for EESG to work with the Process Industries Division.
Subsidies & finance
Reference was made to moves to phase out subsidies with coal at COP26. It was recognised, however, that this is a big job, as it depends on where and what layer.
It was viewed as good news that there were to be stranded assets in portfolios to pull out of.
Carbon pricing (was mentioned in blue zone)
Carbon pricing was discussed within the EESG strategy meeting in terms of internalisation of external costs.
It was noted that there had been a nebulous talk on carbon pricing at COP26.
It was suggested that carbon pricing is one way of making sustainable technologies in their infancy economically viable. It has been on the fringes of economics but is now going into the mainstream. It was noted that Puro.earth, which was created by the Finnish government, has been bought by Nasdaq and has an audit trail (on carbon dioxide emissions and pricing).
Forests and climate repair
It was noted that agricultural practice and land use in general were discussed at COP26, including discussion on what proportion to allocate to timber, food etc. It was suggested that this could also include consideration of land used for sequestration of greenhouse gas emissions.
Brian Robinson said that that Soc Env are interested in this topic. EESG could collaborate with SocEnv on forests/climate repair/sequestration.
Maged Hannah offered a project as a case study.
It was pointed out that there are big engineering challenges in agriculture. The example was given of farms being mainly arable in Essex with big engineering machines. It was recognised that growing food for people rather than for livestock represented a big shift in practice.
It was reported that at COP26 other options than forests were to be considered for climate repair.
Transport
At COP26 a transport pledge signed by 33 countries and 11 car makers to work towards 100% zero emission cars by 2035 in leading markets and 2040 globally.
What wasn’t said
Nature and biodiversity
Brian Robinson said that SocEnv are interested in nature and biodiversity. It was pointed out that it is often the nature and biodiversity issues that people are weakest on.
Climate justice
It was suggested that indigenous people and storytelling should be heard, as they were underrepresented at COP26.
Demand reduction?
It was suggested that not enough attention was being given to population growth.
Emissions from the military
It was pointed out that emissions from the military were not included in targets, and that politically they should be included. It was recognised that carting stuff around is a major logistics issue in itself, with significant impact.
It was suggested that too much was technology led rather than change led. Is the right question being asked? It was suggested that the approach should be outcomes led, with change rather than business as usual.
Carbon dioxide emissions and footprinting
It was stated that the food industry is beginning to pick up on carbon dioxide emissions, and that this was another way of changing habits. EESG can work with the Food and Drink committee on this.
General
It was pointed out that there is a mismatch between keeping to an increase of 1.5oC, and the measures proposed to do this.
It was stated that the target wasn’t tangible enough. It was explained that the main reference was 2oC, but people are against this, as it is devastating for so many countries.
It was said that in the Blue Zone the message coming through was that we could maintain our lifestyles, expecting that technology could get us out of this. Often discussion is framed in terms of binary situations (e.g. either climate change or standard of living change), and it was suggested that we need to make options for the future more attractive e.g. clean air.
EESG role/round-up of where EESG goes.
EESG can express its outlook through pointing to its terms of reference.
EESG with its broad mix is in a good position to give representation of industry sectors.
EESG can be a home for specialisms
PROJECT PROPOSAL: Follow the tea bag – production and material
Now we don’t need to drink tea to make water drinkable and clean. We can use the lifecycle of a tea bag to communicate different aspects of sustainability and address the key matters of concern as we move from COP26 to COP26. This can be a way of engaging people with something they can relate to.
It was suggested that the Power Industries Division will have an important role in this, and so will the Renewable Power Committee.
It was suggested that EESG should talk to the comms team about an infographic, because it would be relatable.