Architects aren't typically known for their policy planning and work on climate change, but Rem Koolhaas's OMA (Office of Metropolitan Architecture) is a bit outside of the box. They recently unveiled a policy report on how Europe can drastically reduce its carbon emissions by 80% before 2050 rolls around. Their plan, developed in part with the Imperial College London, Kema, Mckinsey & Company, and Oxford economics, proposes an EU-wide decarbonized grid and essentially a realignment of the boundary lines according to renewable energy resources. The Roadmap 2050, which was commissioned by the European Climate Foundation, actually provides a practical guide to replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy, but it only works if the whole of Europe works together.
OMA studied a number of fields to come up with their plan — namely the existing power grid, economics of various scenarios, renewable energy resources, energy efficiency, and transportation networks. They highly suggest implementing a plan no later than 2015 that includes policy development and implementation on the following five areas: energy efficiency; investments in regional grid interconnections and smart grid projects; continued and accelerated technology development; market reform to ensure an effective long-term investment case for business; and switching away from fossil fuels in both the building and transportation sectors.
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[...] trading post for German merchants and was later turned into a customs house under Napoleon in 1806. OMA’s new plan for the structure will create a contemporary trading post in the form of a [...]