Renewable energies play a key role in combating climate change. According to the International Energy Agency, renewable installed capacity will need to be doubled by 2030 in order to limit the increase in global warming to 2º C. EDP and 15 other companies operating worldwide are signatories to an action plan whose implementation will lead to the installation of 1.5TW of renewable energy throughout the world over the next 10 years. António Mexia, EDP's President, will present the contribution of this business partnership in conferences to be held this week in Paris, as part of the Climate Conference, COP 21.

Today, 7 December, António Mexia will be one of the speakers at the official day dedicated to the industry, Energy Day, organized by the Lima Paris Action Agenda. EDP's president will present a speech focused on discussion of the financing forms needed for accelerated roll-out of renewable energies. On the same day, Rui Teixeira, the Director with the Sustainability portfolio, will participate in a session called Big Business with Big Climate Solutions - The Low Carbon Technology Partnership Initiative (LCTPI) of the Annual Conference of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). On 9 December, two days after the end of the UN Climate Conference negotiations, EDP will once again be advocating the use of renewables, in a debate open to all visitors to the Blue Zone, the most restricted area of COP 21.

The action plan developed by the 16 energy companies under the LCTPI collaborative platform is one of the many contributions of the business sector to COP 21. Alongside the energy theme (the potential of renewables and barriers to be overcome), the LCTPI has produced 8 more sector action plans. A PWC study concludes that, once implemented, the whole set of proposals to decarbonize the world economy can alone eliminate 65% of the emissions needed to maintain warming at 2º C and generate investments of 5 to 10 billion dollars with 5 to 10 million new jobs.

EDP with 75% of renewables in 2020

In addition to being a signatory to this joint plan, EDP has a current set of commitments focused on combating climate change. Presented for the first time last September, within the context of the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit, EDP's five objectives are:

• To exceed 75% of renewables in installed capacity by 2020


• To reduce CO2 emissions by 75% by 2030 compared to 2005 figures


• To promote energy efficiency gains in the customer base equivalent to 1TWh by 2020


• To intensify the installation of smart meters to 90% of low voltage delivery points in the Iberian Peninsula by 2030


• To encourage partnerships in research and development of clean technologies, energy efficiency and smart grids, by investing €200m by 2020;