Thursday 23 July 2009

Re: The PPPs we have to displace

I found myself this week reading through an interesting report on recent private-public partnerships in the EU (see http://www.ifsl.org.uk/output/ReportItem.aspx?NewsID=28).

It is striking how many projects were roadworks or, in the UK, defence projects.

One of the things that has to happen to make the global economic transition to a low-carbon economy is a proliferation of large scale renewable energy and energy efficiency projects.

As an illustration of how small a base we're starting from, have a close look at the report: health and road dominate. Energy just doesn't figure, despite the extraordinary opportunities we know are there.

You look at the list and you think: are these govts a bit thick? Don't they see the post-climate change tipping points tsunami bearing down on them? Where are the transition investments?

We'll know we've turned the corner when lists like this are dominated by clean energy, electric transport and other low-carbon economy projects.

No comments: