Stage 1. Vienna – Laa an der Thaya. Technologies for the energy transition

On a rainy day with low temperatures, the cold has not taken long to be noticed. But it has not been anything compared to the warmth given to us by all the people who have gathered today at the headquarters of Sustainable Energy for All to wish us a good trip, and support our cycling expedition for climate action.

This first stage has served to warm up our (electric) engines, and to start entering into extraordinary places. Today, after leaving behind several kilometers of urban areas, we have traveled through huge fields of crops dotted with small wooded areas. A joy for the eyes and the lungs!

In a challenging route of 72 km, our team has shown its climate commitment and the importance of working together to reach our final destination, the Austrian city of Laa an der Thaya. Being the bike an example of a sustainable technology, beneficial for climate and people, the theme of today´s march was “technologies for the energy transition”.

We are witnessing a technological disruption process that is radically transforming our energy system. This disruption is taking place, both, on the production side, with an impressive cost reduction in renewable technologies, and on the demand side with, among others, significant improvements in energy efficiency and exponential uptake of electric vehicles pushed by the decrease in the cost of batteries.

Decarbonisation scenarios that a few years ago seemed impossible are now viable, due to technological process. However, as shown by the World Energy Outlook 2018, worldwide energy emissions increased by 1.4% in 2017, a resumption of growth after three years remaining flat. Scientists alert that this transition is not taking place fast enough to meet the climate targets. We need to accelerate the decarbonisation of the economy through a comprehensive policy mix that removes existing barriers, creates a level playing-field (based on the polluter pays principle), and increases investment in scientific and technological research.

We invite you to know the contributions to this one, and other topics of debate, in the section of our web “Our contribution to Talanoa Dialogue”.

Ready for the next stage!