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Global Apollo Programme

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The Global Apollo Programme is a call for a major global science and economics research programme to make carbon-free baseload electricity less costly than electricity from coal by the year 2025.[1]

Inspiration and aims

Launched in June 2015, the project - named for the Apollo Program, which brought together thousands of scientists and engineers to put mankind on the moon - calls for developed nations to commit to spending 0.02% of their GDP, for 10 years, to fund co-ordinated research to solve the challenge. This equates to $150 billion over a decade, roughly the same cost committed to the Apollo Program in 2015 money.[2][3] Some developed nations, including the UK, already meet the GDP percentage target spend, but many do not and there is little international coordination to maximise the results.[1]

It has been modelled on the more recent International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors, a international research collaborative that is credited with greatly and swiftly improving the quality and economics of semiconductor manufacture.[4]

Key areas of focus

Key people

The initiative is spearheaded by the chemist Professor Sir David King, former Government Chief Scientific Adviser to HM Government.[6] Amongst the Apollo group are economists Professor Lord Stern (author of The Stern Review) and Lord O'Donnell (former Cabinet Secretary), businessmen Lord Turner and Lord Browne (former Chief Executive of BP), cosmologist and astrophysicist Professor Lord Rees (former President of the Royal Society) and labour economist Lord Layard.[7]

Reaction

At last - an authoritative, practical and comprehensible plan that could avert the catastrophe that is threatening our planet.

— Sir David Attenborough, official launch at the Royal Society on 2 June 2015.[8][9]

[Research and development in renewables] should be like the Manhattan Project and the Apollo Project in the sense that the government should put in a serious amount of R&D.

— Bill Gates, Financial Times, 25 June 2015.[10]

The Global Apollo Programme would be a terrific place to start... Now is the time for the Government and investors like ourselves to get moving.

— Nigel Wilson, Chief Executive of Legal & General.[11]

Key dates

  • The programme was discussed at the Energy Ministers run-up meeting to the 41st G7 summit.[1]
  • It is hoped that the initial signatory countries will be announced at the G-20 Summit in Turkey in November 2015.[12]

References

  1. ^ a b c Carrington, Damian. "Global Apollo programme seeks to make clean energy cheaper than coal". The Guardian. No. 2 June 2015. Guardian News Media. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  2. ^ "A Budgetary Analysis of NASA's New Vision for Space Exploration" (PDF). Congressional Budget Office. Congress of the United States. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  3. ^ Clark, Pilita (2 June 2015). "$150bn needed to save world from climate change, warn scientists". Financial Times. Pearson PLC. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  4. ^ "Summary - the organisation of the Programme". Global Apollo Programme. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
  5. ^ Rundle, Michael (2 June 2015). "How The 'Apollo Programme' For Energy Might Just Save The Planet". WIRED. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  6. ^ Harrabin, Roger (2 June 2015). "'Moon shot' call on clean energy". BBC News. British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  7. ^ Coghlan, Andy (2 June 2015). "New Apollo programme wants moonshot budget to boost renewables". NewScientist. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  8. ^ "Parliamentary Business, House of Lords". Hansard. Column 313. 2 June 2015. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  9. ^ "Push to make renewables cheaper". Yahoo! News. Press Association. 2 June 2015. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  10. ^ Adams, Christopher; Thornhill, John (25 June 2015). "Gates to double investment in renewable energy projects". Financial Times. Pearson PLC. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  11. ^ Wilson, Nigel (16 August 2015). "Better late then never for clean energy in Britain". thisismoney.co.uk. DMG Media. Retrieved 18 August 2015.
  12. ^ Moon, Mariella. "Global Apollo program wants to make green energy cheaper than coal". Engadget. AOL. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
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