Civil Engineering January-February 2022 | Vol 30 No 1

Civil Engineering January/February 2022 31 such as circular economy solutions to blade recycling and protecting labour practices and human rights in a rapidly expanding workforce.” Commenting on solar energy, Gianni Chianetta, CEO of the Global Solar Council stated, “Beyond its climate im- pact, solar power can make a significant contribution towards the Sustainable Development Goals thanks to the ripple effect that fans out into the economic, social and environmental domains, benefiting areas such as health, education, gender equality and poverty alleviation. What is key is a joined-up effort. It’s no longer enough for any one technology, industry or organisation to lead the way: we need to lead together, with collabora- tion and joint action.” REACHING FOR NET-ZERO The latest scientific assessment from the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has warned that the world is off track to limit global temperatures in- crease to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels or even keep them well below 2°C, as set out in the 2015 Paris Agreement. Instead, the planet will warm by 1.5°C in the next two decades without drastic moves to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said this scientific consensus “must sound a death knell for coal and fossil fuels before they destroy our planet”. The pathway to keeping global heating within the limits set by the Paris Agreement is net-zero by 2050 and climate action needs to be stepped up to reach that goal. In that scenario, almost 70% of electricity generation globally would come from solar PV and wind power, according to the International Energy Agency. Renewable power technologies, led by wind and solar PV, have already stepped up to dominate new installations of electricity generation, as they have become the cheapest sources of power in many markets. In the past seven years, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency, more renewable power was added annually to the world’s grids than from fossil fuels and nuclear combined: in 2020, the dominance of clean technologies over traditional sources climbed further with 260 GW of renewables-based generation added worldwide, more than four times that of other sources. The 17 members of the Alliance are set to work together to tackle the sustainability challenges in this transition and bring results both in the short and the medium term. They start their col- laboration by focusing on four key areas where they can achieve quick wins for the sustainability of the renewable energy industry, aligning different players by setting and harmonising standards and metrics, around which common targets can be set, and aligning around best practices. The focus areas are: net-zero emissions and CO 2 footprints; circular economy and design; human rights; and water footprints. The alliance is open to new members who share this vision and can contribute concretely towards the ultimate goal of be- coming a truly sustainable industry within the transition to net-zero by 2050.