Energy Demand changes Induced by Technological and Social innovations (EDITS) side-event at COP26 as part of the Japan Pavilion. The event presented the frontiers in energy and material demand knowledge, the role of digitalization, innovation and equity efforts in a deep social, economic and technological transformation of energy demand. We presented recent work from the EDITS network, and discussed how a demand-side transition can contribute to rapid and successful climate change mitigation towards a 1.5°C pathway.  

edits © IIASA

Satisfying people’s needs for shelter, mobility, consumer goods, and essential services is the reason why society requires materials and energy. Innovations in providing these services can deeply reduce the demand for energy and enable a demand-driven transition to net-zero societies. The Energy Demand changes Induced by Technological and Social innovations (EDITS) network studies and promotes demand-driven energy system change, at global and granular levels. The EDITS network explores the critical determinants of feasibility of such transition, its timing, costs, and their SDG synergies and tradeoffs. The EDITS community collaborates based on common interest in the demand side transition, transfers methodological knowledge, and explores modeling innovations across demand-side models.

11 November, 2021 at 13:00-14:30 (GMT/Glasgow)/ 14:00-15:30 (CET/Vienna)

Download the agenda.

The full archived recording of the event is available on the website of the Ministry of the Environment Government of Japan. 

Program / Watch the presentations again: 

13:00-13:05       Opening remarks - Yukihiro Kawaguchi, Global Environmental Measures Office, Industrial Technology and Environment Bureau, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Japan

13:05-13:15        Background of the Energy Demand changes Induced by Technological and Social innovations (EDITS) network - Keigo Akimoto, Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth (RITE), Japan

 

13:15-13:30       Introduction to low energy demand transformations - Arnulf Grübler, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Austria

13:30-13:40       Digitalization: the lever of transformation - Charlie Wilson, University of East Anglia (UEA), Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, the UK

13:40-13:50       The equity perspective of low energy demand futures: decent living standards for all - Shonali Pachauri, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Austria

13:50-14:00       Innovation for socio-technological-economic transformation - Greg Nemet, University of Wisconsin-Madison, La Follette School of Public Affairs, Wisconsin Energy Institute, USA

14:00-14:30       Panel discussion with speakers: the required behavioral and social changes and their feasibility – moderated by Joyashree Roy, Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Thailand

Sister-events at COP26 related to IIASA and RITE:

Acknowledgements

The Energy Demand changes Induced by Technological and Social innovations (EDITS) project is an initiative coordinated by the Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth (RITE) and International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), and funded by Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI), Japan.