Letter from London: Show me the carbon
Transition policies must recognise that significant industrial demand for carbon will continue even as economies hit net zero
“Even in an electrified world, carbon will remain a finite resource to be stewarded with the same discipline as land and water,” said Eveline Speelman, partner at system design company Systemiq, in a recent report by Energy Transitions Commission (ETC). This view may have wrongfooted policymakers gathering in Brazil for COP30 in mid-November. After all, the decarbonisation strategies of governments signed up to the Paris Agreement are dominated by plans to mitigate CO₂ by ramping up the deployment of renewables and electric vehicles. However, the ETC’s report—Carbon in an electrified future: Technologies, trade-offs and pathways—delivered a reminder to policymakers that the transition to net
Also in this section
28 November 2025
The launch of the bloc’s emissions trading system in 2005 was a pioneering step, but as the scheme hits 21 its impact as a driver of decarbonisation is still open to debate
18 November 2025
Vicki Hollub, president and CEO of Occidental, has been selected as the 2026 recipient of the Dewhurst Award, the highest honour bestowed by WPC Energy. The Dewhurst Award celebrates exceptional leadership, groundbreaking innovation and a lifetime of significant achievements in sup-port of the development and advancement of the energy industry.
11 November 2025
Transition policies must recognise that significant industrial demand for carbon will continue even as economies hit net zero
6 November 2025
After years of pursuing ideologically driven climate leadership, Western powers are now stepping back under mounting political pressure and rising populist opposition—prompting concern essential climate action could be sidelined
