Over the last two decades, global warming has gone from the fringes to the center of public policy debate. Published in early 2007, the fourth world climate report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) states clearly that humans are largely responsible for global warming. The IPCC estimates that by the end of this century temperatures will have increased by between 1.1 and 6.4 degrees Celsius.

Electric and heat generating units are responsible for 26 percent of the world’s anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions. For this reason, energy producers have a responsibility to take action to slow global warming. In addition, the energy industry is affected by new public policy objectives. For example, the European Union aims to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 20 percent by 2020 compared with 1990 levels.

 

E.ON is aware of its responsibility. But we want to take a step further. By 2030, we aim to halve our specific carbon dioxide emissions compared with 1990 levels.

We’re taking action in many areas to preserve the environment and protect the earth’s climate. To better target, manage and coordinate these activities, we’re developing a groupwide Environmental and Climate Protection Guideline which will be presented to the E.ON Board of Management for approval in 2008. As part of this process, in 2007 we cataloged our activities in the areas of climate protection and energy efficiency.

Our main focus is on reducing CO₂ emissions. We’re investing massively to reduce our carbon emissions by increasing the thermal efficiency of our generating units and by expanding our zero-emission generating capacity. In 2007, renewables accounted for 14 percent of our generating capacity. By 2015, we aim to increase this figure to 18 percent. By 2030, we expect half of our generation fleet to emit no carbon dioxide and the other half to consist of low-carbon technologies like highly efficient gas-fired generating units and coal-fired generating units equipped with carbon capture and storage.

 

Research will play a key role in our effort to reduce our CO₂ emissions and therefore our carbon footprint. One of the purposes of our groupwide research initiative called innovate.on is to spur innovations in climate-protection technology. The same is true of our support for university research through the E.ON International Research Initiative.

Our environmental stewardship goes beyond climate protection and encompasses waterway protection, nature conservation and landscape protection. The preservation of flora and fauna is therefore also a top priority for E.ON. Our operational environmental protection includes our efforts to conserve resources like water and fuel and to effectively and safely dispose of the waste we create.