Energy and climate policy: Colleagues or competitors?

Forecasts and scenarios foresee increasing levels of energy consumption and CO2 emission. Even without strong interventionist policies, the CO2 growth rate may level off. The question is whether this slow-down will be in time from a climate perspective. A combination of early CO2 stabilization in OECD, Eastern Europe and the former USSR in combination with more expenditure on R&D might enable a `safe emissions corridor', although strict climate goals will not be met. More active energy efficiency policies and emphasis on renewables are needed and may be cost-effective. International cooperation will increase this effectiveness.