Energy Transition and Emissions Reductions - Some Inconvenient Truths

Join us for CCUSNA's next in-person event, to be held in Perth on 1 April 2026 at The Shoe Bar.

At this event, Martin Wilkes from RISC will talk about "Energy Transitions and Emissions Reductions - Some Inconvenient Truths".

Abstract:

Many countries have committed to reducing carbon dioxide emissions and their dependence on fossil fuels with most large emitting countries now committing to “Net-Zero” targets sometime in the second half of this century. Renewable energy has made swift progress, with wind and solar power (variable renewable energy sources, VRES) increasing at a rapid rate and now making up a significant proportion of power generation in many developed countries. However, other forms of low emissions energy production and emission reduction technologies have not developed as quickly, and fossil fuel use also continues to increase in order to meet the increasing demand for energy. As a result, carbon dioxide emissions have also continued to increase.

Why are emissions increasing and how are we balancing the increasingly complex story of energy security and emissions reduction?

In this talk we will identify progress and failings to date, point out some lesser-known facts about changes in energy consumption that will be required to significantly reduce emissions, and highlight some inconvenient truths about the balance between emissions reduction and energy security.

Speaker Biography:

Martin Wilkes is the Managing Director of RISC (Resource Investment Strategy Consultants), an independent international energy advisory company headquartered in Perth.

Martin is a Fellow of the Institution of Chemical Engineers and a member of the Association of International Energy Negotiators (AIEN). He is both a Chartered Engineer and a Chartered Environmentalist. Martin has worked in the energy industry for over 30 years, living in Europe, Africa and Australia. Since joining RISC in 2010 he has provided advice to clients on hundreds of projects, including over 30% of the world’s LNG projects. He became Managing Director of RISC in 2017 and has built up a reputation for straight talking and providing insightful, independent and sometimes unconventional advice.