People's well-being, industrial competitiveness and the overall functioning of society are dependent on safe, secure, sustainable and affordable energy. The energy infrastructure which will power citizens' homes, industry and services in 2050, as well as the buildings which people will use, are being designed and built now. The pattern of energy production and use in 2050 is already being set.

This outlook highlights climate-safe investment options until 2050, policies for transition and specific regional challenges. It also explores options to eventually cut emissions to zero.

"The workshop "Energy Roadmap 2050: EU External policies for future energy security", organised by the Policy Department of DG External Policies for the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET), took place on November 5th, 2012 in the European Parliament. It aimed at facilitating an exchange of views about the energetic context and the future perspectives of the global market and European energy security. The participants discussed the parameters of the international energetic scene: the rise of shale gas exploitation and its economic, ecological and geopolitical impacts; the development of the European internal market rules; the future negotiations on climate change. The EU's energetic future was obviously the main topic and was treated through the analysis of the three pillars of energy policy: security of supply, competitive market conditions and sustainability. The accent was put on the consequences of the US's growing independency on oil and gas due to the exploitation of shale gas deposits. This recent development is likely to have huge mid-term repercussions on global oil, coal and gas prices and to widen the competitiveness gap between the US and Europe. The climate change issue and the possibility to create the conditions for a new international agreement were discussed, as well as the future perspectives of renewable energy development. The proficiency of the European Trading Scheme and the research on energy efficiency and carbon capture storage technology were debated. The speakers also insisted on the fact that the full implementation of internal market rules would have a crucial influence on the construction process of the European energy policy. They pointed out the need to strengthen and extend these norms through the development of the European Energy Community Treaty. Regarding the European energy security, the partnership with Russia, the main supplier of many EU member states, was stressed by the speakers, even though one of the main objectives of the emerging European energy policy is to reduce its dependency on a single source of supply by diversifying its roads and sources of supply. The participants analysed the case of the southern corridor, which is seen as a viable solution, so as to have a clear view of the EU's future options, despite the fact that Nabucco seems to be in a stalemate. Various scenarios were presented, with the aim to highlight the need for a reinforcement of European solidarity through the strengthening of the internal market rules and the consolidation of integration. Finally, the participants called for common views and works on these issues, the resolution of which is crucial for the EU's energetic future."--Executive summary, p. 6.

Hiroshi Komiyama's "Vision 2050" is a plan for paving a road to global sustainability. It lays out a path to a sustainable future for humanity that could realistically be achieved by 2050 through the application of science and technology. A prominent Japanese academic and leader in global sustainability, Komiyama draws upon realistic assumptions and solid scientific concepts to create a vision that makes the living standards enjoyed by developed countries today possible for all people by 2050. "Vision 2050" is built upon three fundamental principles – increased energy efficiency, recycling, and development of renewable energy sources – and the book argues for the technological potential of all three. Specifically, Komiyama envisions a three-fold increase in overall energy efficiency and a doubling of renewable energy resources by 2050. "Vision 2050: Roadmap for a Sustainable Earth" is written to address the concerned citizen as well as to inspire an exchange of ideas among experts, policy makers, industrial leaders, and the general public.

The authors examine how far internal policies in the European Union move towards the objective of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the EU by 80-95 per cent by 2050, and how or whether the EU's 2050 objective to 'decarbonise' could affect the EU's relations with a number of external energy partners.

Increased use of renewable energy, combined with intensified electrification, could prove decisive for the world to meet key climate goals by 2050. This study from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) highlights immediately deployable, cost-effective options for countries to fulfil climate commitments and limit the rise of global temperatures. The envisaged energy transformation would also reduce net costs and bring significant socio-economic benefits, such as increased economic growth, job creation and overall welfare gains. The report - the second under the Global Energy Transformation banner - expands IRENA's comprehensive roadmap, which examines technology pathways and policy implications to ensure a sustainable energy future. Ramping up electricity to over half of the global energy mix (up from one-fifth currently) in combination with renewables would reduce the use of fossil fuels, responsible for most greenhouse-gas emissions.