The next weeks we will hear more and more of our World leaders on their ambitions for the next climate top in Copenhagen.  After Kyoto it has been decided that we need a new climate deal towards 2050.  It is however doubtful that Copenhagen will deliver us the final outcome of a new climate deal.  The economical crisis has left large doubts in the mind of our governments as they face enormous budget deficits.  The need for an realistic agreement on a new climate deal remain important as they also understand.   We have all read targets like 80% less carbon by 2050, the problem with such a statement(read problems) is that nobody knows how this target will be met without destroying economical growth and as such the countries budgets.  Our current economical model is addicted, addicted to a growth of minimum 2% per year.  Even our governments are addicted to the same growth as they count on this yearly 2% growth to keep their budgets positive (or read defendable).  Our industry works on fossil fuels which produce of course also carbon, we aim to drive all with electrical cars but that leaves still at least two thirds left on carbon.  More important seems to me that when targets are set for 2020 or 2050 that a detailed plan per year is attached to this overall target so that we know what to aim for per year.  We have to try to go over the marketing slogans of 2020/20/2020(meaning for Europe by 2020 20% less carbon, 20% green energy production, 20% energy savings, etc) and work together with our smartest minds and best technicians in making this possible.  As the financial (and economical) crisis has destroyed billions of dollars/Euro's we also face the challenge on finding the necessary money to make this possible.  What is the cost for our climate objective?  Although I agree that we do not have another option than to realize these future objectives I just wonder how we are going to realize them. As we are talking about a new industrial revolution at a moment that we have a global economy it would perhaps be a good idea to have a separate global climate government that would manage these objectives and the budgets attached to this.  If I only see at Europe and the way every country is developing a strategy itself, for example subsidy scheme for new green production, we are wasting resources, money and more important time. The creation of a new global sustainable economical model cannot be done on country by country bases and also not only by governments.  Our industry is an essential partner in this development and I do not believe that without their support we will reach our climate objectives.  A solution has to be found between the short term profit targets demanded by our shareholders and the long term impact of the future climate objectives.   It is also important that our leaders and governments understand that they have to lead by example before they can expect that others follow, the efficient usage of our energy resources is for example one of them.  If you look for example at the buildings of our governments in Europe than they are no examples of energy efficiency(a lot of times old historical buildings with a high cost of energy).  The next weeks I will write my articles in English as I am preparing myself for the yearly power generation summit held in Prague.  As I will be participating actively(as speaker and chairman) a lot of the people I will meet there are from all over Europe(and outside).  As such I hope to listen and learn more about our industries targets and goals for 2010.  As the conference is just before Copenhagen perhaps it will be an opportunity to ask to the many companies that participate at this conference to come with a common statement at the end of this conference that we can transmit towards Copenhagen and our world leaders so they understand better our concerns and possible solutions.

The Annual European Power Generation Strategy Summit
& The Power Project Financing & M&A Forum
30th November - 2nd December 2009,
The Intercontinental Prague, Czech Republic  www.europeanpowergeneration.com