Overline:
Energy Transition Dialogue
Headline:
Co-Benefits of Renewables: Reviewing the Toolbox of Assessment Methods
On invitation only
IASS - GIZ Expert Round Table with insights from the China Renewable Energy Outlook and the international COBENEFITS project: in the context of the 2018 Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue, this round table brings together experts from research, ministries and the science-policy interface to mobilise the social and economic opportunities of renewable energy by opening and elaborating the toolbox of co-benefit assessments and improving their policy relevance.
The global transition to renewable sources of energy is in full swing, with Germany and China among the leaders in the emerging new energy world. The social and economic opportunities presented by this transformation have spurred the growth of renewable energy generation in many countries. The positive effects include local economic value creation and jobs, clean air, access to cheap energy, and rural development. Yet discussions of climate measures all too often focus on economic burdens and overlook the social and economic co-benefits of renewables.
Scientific methods of assessing socio-economic and health-related co-benefits are key to mobilising social and economic opportunities of renewable energy for ambitious climate action and accelerating renewable energy deployment.
Flagship assessments, like the China Renewable Energy Outlook (CREO, supported by the German Energy Transition Expertise for China project), and multi-lateral assessment studies, such as the international COBENEFITS project, offer important opportunities for mutual learning both in terms of improving our toolbox of assessment methods and making results relevant and usable for policymakers.
In light of the promising results of the 2017 GIZ-IASS Beijing Co-Benefits round table, this April the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) and the German Agency for International Development (GIZ) will invite experts from China, Germany, and the USA to Potsdam, Germany, to further develop and elaborate on assessment methods, theories and the results of last year’s event.
Round Table Agenda
Time |
Contents |
Contributors |
13:00 – 13:30 |
Welcome Tee / Coffee |
|
13:30 – 14:15 |
Opening: Mobilizing the Co-Benefits of Renewable Energy |
|
|
Objectives and expectations for the workshop - recalling results of the 2017 GIZ-IASS Co-Benefits Round Table |
Sebastian Helgenberger (IASS) & Anders Hove (GIZ) |
|
Participants’ Introduction Round (Expertise / Interests / Expectations) |
all |
|
The COBENEFITS project approach |
Sebastian Helgenberger (IASS) |
14:15 – 15:30 |
Socio-Economic Co-Benefits Toolbox |
|
|
Assessment of socio-economic impacts of developing renewable energy in China towards 2050 |
Dai Hancheng (CNREC) |
|
Q&A |
all |
|
Discussion impulse: Socio-assessment of renewable energy in global perspective |
Rainer Quitzow (IASS) |
|
Round Table Discussion: Improving our socio-economic co-benefits toolbox (incl. real-world lessons learned from COBENEFITS) |
all |
|
Reviewing the toolbox of socio-economic assessment methods |
Sylvia Borbonus (IASS) |
15:30 – 15:50 |
Coffee Break |
|
15:50 – 16:50 |
Air pollution & Health Co-Benefits Toolbox |
|
|
The health benefits of developing renewable energy in China towards 2050 |
Dai Hancheng (CNREC) |
|
Q&A |
all |
|
Co-presentation: Modelling Air Quality: The need for good emission scenarios |
Tim Butler (IASS) |
|
Round Table Discussion: Connecting air quality analyses with socio-economic assessments (incl. real-world lessons learned from COBENEFITS) |
all |
|
Air quality: Lessons learned from a lifecycle analysis of wind power in China |
Xue Bing (CAS / IASS) |
16:50 – 17:10 |
Coffee Break |
|
17:10 – 17:45 |
Making Co-Benefits Policy-Relevant |
|
|
Socio-economic assessments: making them policy-relevant |
Jürgen Keinhorst (BMU) |
|
Response: COBENEFITS: Impact Strategy |
IASS (Helgenberger) |
|
Outlook and closing |
Sebastian Helgenberger (IASS) & Anders Hove (GIZ) |
17:45 |
Evening Reception |
|