Latest news with #TommyJoyce
eNCA
24-04-2025
- Business
- eNCA
US opposes 'dangerous' anti-fossil fuel policies at global summit
An international summit on the future of energy security opened in London on Thursday with stark opposition from Washington, which called policies to phase out fossil fuels "harmful and dangerous". Profound differences emerged at the two-day International Energy Agency (IEA) meeting over the role of renewables in satisfying the world's thirst for energy. The meeting takes place amid global economic turmoil sparked by wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, and uncertainty surrounding US President Donald Trump's tariffs. "Some want to regulate every form of energy besides the so-called renewables, completely out of existence... We oppose these harmful and dangerous policies. This is not energy security," Tommy Joyce, US Acting Assistant Secretary of Energy for International Affairs, told the conference. That contrasted to a more moderate message from IEA executive director Fatih Birol in opening remarks at the summit, co-hosted by the UK. "Every economy has its own pathway for energy. We should understand and respect it," he said. Birol added also that "oil and gas are key parts of our energy mix, and they will remain as part of the energy mix in years to come." The IEA said in its own forecast in 2023 that fossil fuel demand would peak before 2030. Meanwhile, British Energy Secretary Ed Miliband welcomed "low carbon energy" as playing "a critical role in delivering energy security". "As long as energy can be weaponised against us, our countries and our citizens are vulnerable and exposed," he added. Several energy ministers from European countries attended the gathering, including 120 senior government officials, business leaders, and experts. The United States was only represented by acting deputy secretaries of state, while China, Saudi Arabia and Russia skipped the event altogether. - Renewable energy disagreements - The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries has welcomed the meeting. "The overall theme is one that OPEC supports. It is positive to see the IEA refocusing on energy security after veering away from this fundamental goal," the group said on Wednesday. "Many net zero policies have endorsed unrealistic timelines or had little regard for energy security, affordability or feasibility," said OPEC, which has previously described the phasing out of fossil fuels as a "fantasy". OPEC, whose membership is dominated by oil-producing Gulf states, believes that energy security must be achieved by adding renewable energy sources to existing fossil fuels, not by replacing them. - 'Never again' - European countries believe that nuclear energy and renewables are the best way to avoid dependence on imported oil and gas, the prices of which have been increasingly volatile since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. "Europe must never again be in a position where Russia think they can blackmail us with energy," British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told the summit Thursday. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the bloc will next month "present a roadmap, with concrete measures to phase out all imports of Russian fossil fuels. "So that we will no longer rely on a hostile power for our energy need." In the United States, Trump has repeatedly stated that he wants to lower energy prices with a "drill baby drill" approach in oil and gas fields, while limiting the development of wind power projects. The French Energy Ministry noted that the mission of the IEA, which was established in 1974 in response to the first oil crisis, remains "to promote the energy transition as a tool for energy sovereignty." It said "there is no stated American agenda for this meeting, and no European concern about a deviation from the agenda." But according to a source at a major European energy company, the IEA and Birol have moderated their rhetoric toward renewables in recent months. The idea is to "avoid antagonising the Trump administration and to calm things down a little with OPEC", this source said, speaking on condition of anonymity. By Nathalie Alonso
Jordan Times
24-04-2025
- Business
- Jordan Times
US opposes 'dangerous' anti-fossil fuel policies at global summit
An international summit on the future of energy security opened in London on Thursday with stark opposition from Washington, which called policies to phase out fossil fuels 'harmful and dangerous' (AFP photo) LONDON — An international summit on the future of energy security opened in London on Thursday with stark opposition from Washington, which called policies to phase out fossil fuels "harmful and dangerous". Profound differences emerged at the two-day International Energy Agency (IEA) meeting over the role of renewables in satisfying the world's thirst for energy. The meeting takes place amid global economic turmoil sparked by wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, and uncertainty surrounding US President Donald Trump's tariffs. "Some want to regulate every form of energy besides the so-called renewables, completely out of existence... We oppose these harmful and dangerous policies. This is not energy security," Tommy Joyce, US Acting Assistant Secretary of Energy for International Affairs, told the conference. That contrasted to a more moderate message from IEA executive director Fatih Birol in opening remarks at the summit, co-hosted by the UK. "Every economy has its own pathway for energy. We should understand and respect it," he said. He added also that "oil and gas are key parts of our energy mix, and they will remain as part of the energy mix in years to come." Birol's comments depart from the IEA's own forecast in 2023 that fossil fuel demand would peak before 2030. Meanwhile, British Energy Secretary Ed Miliband welcomed "low carbon energy" as playing "a critical role in delivering energy security." "As long as energy can be weap\onised against us, our countries and our citizens are vulnerable and exposed," he added. Several energy ministers from European countries attended the gathering, including 120 senior government officials, business leaders, and experts. The United States is only represented by acting deputy secretaries of state, while China, Saudi Arabia and Russia are skipping the event altogether. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was set to later detail Europe's efforts to promote affordable and sustainable energy. Renewable energy disagreements The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries [OPEC] has welcomed the meeting. "The overall theme is one that OPEC supports. It is positive to see the IEA refocusing on energy security after veering away from this fundamental goal," the group said on Wednesday. "Many net zero policies have endorsed unrealistic timelines or had little regard for energy security, affordability or feasibility," said OPEC, which has previously described the phasing out of fossil fuels as a "fantasy". OPEC, whose membership is dominated by oil-producing Gulf states, believes that energy security must be achieved by adding renewable energy sources to existing fossil fuels, not by replacing them. European countries believe, however, that nuclear energy and renewables are the best way to avoid dependence on imported oil and gas, the prices of which have been increasingly volatile since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. In the United States, Trump has repeatedly stated that he wants to lower energy prices with a "drill baby drill" approach in oil and gas fields, while limiting the development of wind power projects. The French Energy Ministry noted that the mission of the IEA, which was established in 1974 in response to the first oil crisis, remains "to promote the energy transition as a tool for energy sovereignty." It said "there is no stated American agenda for this meeting, and no European concern about a deviation from the agenda." But according to a source at a major European energy company, the IEA and Birol have moderated their rhetoric toward renewables in recent months. The idea is to "avoid antagonising the Trump administration and to calm things down a little with OPEC", this source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Zawya
21-02-2025
- Business
- Zawya
African Energy Chamber (AEC) Promotes Multi-Energy Approach the 15th IEA-IEF-OPEC Symposium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Calls for End to Anti-Fossil Fuel Narratives
The African Energy Chamber (AEC) ( – as the voice of the African energy sector - has long-advocated for a multi-energy approach in Africa, whereby investments in multiple energy sources fuel industrialization and electrification. With 600 million people currently living without access to electricity and 900 million people living without access to clean cooking solutions, the continent requires all of its energy resources to address its energy crisis. Yet, organizations such as the International Energy Agency (IEA) continue to perpetuate the myth that Africa can meet its energy needs without oil and gas. While an immediate shift to renewable energy may work in Western nations, this approach is not feasible in Africa. As such, the AEC is calling for an end to anti-fossil fuel narratives in Africa. Similar calls were heard at the 15 th IEA-IEF-OPEC Symposium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where Tommy Joyce, Acting Assistant Secretary for International Affairs, U.S. Department of Energy, spoke with passion about oil and gas and its role in combating energy poverty in Africa. The AEC's Executive Chairman NJ Ayuk participated at the Symposium, underscoring the need for an Africa-centric approach to energy development. Other participants that attended included Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Saudi Arabia's Minister of Energy; Haitham Al-Ghais OPEC Secretary General; Jassim Al Shirawi Secretary General, International Energy Forum; Keisuke Sadamori, Director, Energy Markets and Security, International Energy Agency and US representatives. Africa cannot adopt the same model as western nations have done in its energy transition, or the continent risks falling deeper into energy poverty. Given the continent's reliance on oil and gas, its lack of requisite infrastructure to rapidly transition to renewable energy, its growing population and differentiated and complex energy needs, this approach would only exacerbate its crisis. South Africa, for example, Africa's largest economy, relies on coal for 72% of its electricity. Operational challenges at its coal-fired generation facilities in recent years have plunged the country into an energy crisis, with load-shedding impacting business, industry and economic activity. Yet, South Africa, like many of its regional neighbors, holds the promise of a clean and affordable power generation solution: natural gas. Natural gas has been dubbed the fuel of the future in Africa. With over 620 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of proven resources and a significant portion of the continent's basins still underexplored, gas monetization stands to power Africa's economies, offering a low-cost, low-carbon energy solution. Gas-to-power projects would address the very energy crisis that has impacted its economic growth for years. It would also enable exports to regional neighbors such as Zimbabwe, which also grapple with lack of adequate energy supply. Yet, the IEA has called for an end to new gas projects, citing the need to prioritize renewable energy utilization over this widely-available resource. The organization has claimed that existing oil and gas fields are more than enough, yet reality shows a vastly different story. One cannot look at South Africa and believe this to be true. The same can be said for Mozambique, which has been a regional leader in renewable energy through its hydropower projects. Yet only 40% of the country has access to electricity. Recent discoveries have placed Mozambique's gas resources to upwards of 100 tcf, with major upcoming LNG developments offering a strategic opportunity for the country to boost domestic electrification. An integrated and diverse energy mix would work well in Mozambique, just as it would in Angola, Tanzania, Senegal, Mauritania, Republic of Congo and many more African nations. Fundamentally, African countries are the best positioned to address their own complex energy needs. While oil and gas may be considered 'dirty words' in Paris, London or New York, hydrocarbons present cleaner alternatives to the solid biomass and kerosene that 85% of Africans use to cook their food today. 'To help end energy poverty in Africa, global institutions like the IEA must cease perpetuating the myth that Africa can meet its population's needs without fossil fuels or can afford to sacrifice economic development for externally imposed climate goals. Europe, the United States and China have made incredible strides in addressing malnutrition, life expectancy and disease by powering economic growth with uninhibited access to coal, oil and natural gas. Why can't we?' NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the AEC, referencing the Symposium. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.
