Word Contract on energy n.3

The contract commits its signatories to:

Act for a deeper reform of the rules and of the dominant economics thinking, in order to abandon the illusionary free trade dogma of continuous economic growth (blatantly conflicting with the fundamental principles of physics and of the ecosystem). Act to transform the respect for the constraints posed by the physical world, by nature and by the coexistence between peoples, into an opportunity for economic development and employment growth. A reform of the fiscal and tariff systems is necessary, starting from the removal of the perverse incentives granted to increase energy consumption and from the tax abatement for energy produced from renewable sources. Such a reform would considerably relieve the burden from the world of labour and shift the weight of revenue and welfare spending onto those who cause irreversible damages to the community, in particular on pollution and on non-renewable energy consumption.

Produce actions that guarantee access to energy for every one. In particular:

Balancing the energy consumption between the rich part of the planet, which must consume less, and the poor part, where the right to adequate energy services must be guaranteed. Reduce consumption patterns without falling back into poverty is possible, if we switch from today’s dissipative model to energy uses, more intelligent, efficient and conscious of the physical and ecological limits of the planet. Induce new energy consumption to justify the need for increased supply is useless, costly and detrimental. We need regulations, normative choices and investments in technologies that guarantee energy services (heath, cool and lighting, industrial production, transport) with a minor use of primary energy (the best kwh is the one not produced). It is possible to guarantee development to those without it, limiting the environmental impact, and avoiding going after the polluting, irresponsible and fatal model of the richer countries.

Adopting legislation and fiscal and tariff systems that remove the barriers to an efficient and rational energy use.

Abolishing market distortions and any incentive in favour of nuclear energy, combustion of fossil fuels and waste, and diffusing systems for the promotion of clean renewable energy sources (providing incentives, differentiated by source, to the quantity produced, like for example the German feed-in tariff system).

Promoting educational initiatives necessary for the adoption of the principles of sufficiency in the demand for energy services and of efficiency in their delivery and useful in particular for the diffusion of the knowledge to plan, produce and manage the technologies that exploit renewable sources.

Guaranteeing the diffusion of technologies that enable the exploitation of renewable resources and the rational and efficient use of energy, through the creation of a specific United Nations agency.

Promote a distributed, participated and democratic energy model governed by plans and regulations established by public authorities. Such a model would make energy not a commodity but rather a right and a common good, entrusting the citizens of a territory with the right to choose if and how they would use the energy resources available on their land.

Promote a new model of mobility for both people and goods, guaranteeing in the first place the right to move to everyone, as a service based on needs. A more collective and multi-modal transport needs to be developed, including reduced consumption of land and energy resources, and minimal polluting and climate change emissions. A model linked to the concept of what is reachable, that favours walking, cycling, public transport, that frees ground and reclaims it to life in common. The diffusion of such a model must be realised by planning:

a reduction of the needs for mobility and of irrational travel, (less movements with motoring vehicles and increased use of feet and muscles to move about);

infrastructures choices for public transport on rail and sea;

innovations in individual transport means (reduction of weight and speed, with moderate acceleration) and in the fuelling systems (hybrid and totally electrical models) and in the fuels (biofuels and green hydrogen produced from renewables).

Produce actions and stimulate conflicts to guarantee the fulfilment of the Kyoto Protocol objectives (contrasting a programmatic recourse to emission trading) and at the same time create the conditions for a new protocol that commits Governments, as requested by the scientific community, to an 80% greenhouse gas emissions reduction by 2050 compared to 1990 levels.

The strategic objective we pursue with this contract, based on articulated and differentiated actions between rich and poor countries, is that per capita energy consumption shall not exceed one toe/year by 2050.

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