‘The great reset’ to clean energy cannot be led by government players alone – The National

‘The great reset’ to clean energy cannot be led by government players alone – The National

A green reboot needs the private and public sectors too





























Wind turbines stand near the hydrogen electrolysis plant stands at Energiepark Mainz, operated by Linde AG, in Mainz, Germany, on Friday, July 17, 2020. Europe is pinning its green hopes on hydrogen in a plan that sees hundreds of billions of euros in investment flowing into the clean technology and fueling a climate-friendly economic recovery. Photographer: Alex Kraus/Bloomberg











Covid-19 has demanded government action and intervention on a scale that we have never seen before. World leaders and intra-governmental agencies have directed mass shutdowns of industrial activity to steer the public towards safety. As a result greenhouse gas emissions have been slashed.



In many cases, however, this environmental reprieve has come at the expense of economic growth and stability. This has reignited a business case for sustainable development across the board - and not a moment too soon.





The forecast for 2020 is an 8 per cent reduction in global energy consumption, the lowest since the end of the Second World War, according to the International Energy Agency.



Consequently, carbon emissions could undergo a 3 to