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Making energy a true catalyst for change Ciarán Galway speaks with SSE’s Ireland Country Lead Stephen Wheeler about the company’s principal partnership with COP26, decarbonisation of the energy sector and Ireland’s role in the context of scaled-up climate action ambitions. At the UN’s COP26 summit, which will be held in November 2021, heads of state, climate experts and climate action champions will come together in Glasgow with the intention of accelerating Paris Climate Agreement targets, establishing a global pathway to net zero carbon emissions, and preventing an increase in global temperatures of more than 1.5°C. In seeking to apply its expertise and commitment to the fight against climate
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change, SSE will be a principal partner for COP26. “It makes sense for many reasons,” says Wheeler, adding: “First and foremost, SSE’s partnership with COP26 has come at a crucial time as we look to transition towards a greener society. At SSE, we believe that COP26 can be a real lightning rod for action, with governments and stakeholders from around the world coming together and moving from ambition towards delivery.
a leading energy company in a net zero
“This is conducive to our vision of being
of climate change; it’s omnipresent.”
world. We are passionate about the bold action required to address climate change.” Quoting former US President Barack Obama, he asserts: “We are the first generation to feel the effect of climate change and the last generation who can do something about it. You only have to look around the world to see the effects