UN Secretary-General: Global Transition To Renewable Energy Is "irreversible"

    BEIJING, July 22 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on July 22 that the world's transition to renewable energy is "irreversible" and "unstoppable". He urged governments to submit comprehensive new climate plans before the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in November.

    Guterres said in a speech at the UN on the release of a technical report on the development of clean energy on the same day that in recent years, with the surge in investment in clean energy, the costs of solar and wind power have dropped significantly, and their competitive edge has surpassed that of fossil fuels. Last year, global investment in clean energy reached 2 trillion US dollars, 800 billion US dollars more than that in fossil fuels, and has increased by nearly 70% in the past decade. The latest data from the International Renewable Energy Agency shows that the cost of solar energy was once four times that of fossil fuels, but now it is 41% lower than that of fossil fuels, and the cost of offshore wind power is 53% lower than that of fossil fuels.

    Guterres said that the global installed capacity of renewable energy is now almost on par with that of fossil fuels, and almost all new power generation capacity added last year came from renewable energy. The future of clean energy "is no longer a promise, but a fact." There are three main reasons for this: First, market economy factors. In 2023 alone, the clean energy industry contributed 10% to global GDP growth, and the number of jobs in the industry has exceeded that in the fossil fuel industry. Second, security. Compared to fossil energy, which may subject economies and people to price shocks, supply disruptions, and geopolitical turmoil, renewable energy means true energy security. Third, greater accessibility. The deployment of solar and wind energy is faster, cheaper, and more flexible than that of fossil fuels.

    Guterres identified six "opportunity areas" for accelerating the energy transition: ambitious national climate plans, modernized power grids and energy storage systems, sustainably meeting the surging energy demand, achieving a fair energy transition for workers and communities, trade reforms aimed at broadening clean technology supply chains, and mobilizing funds for emerging markets.

    Guterres said that by 2030, clean energy funding must increase more than fivefold to achieve the 1.5-degree Celsius temperature control target and ensure universal access to energy. He called for reforming the global financial system, enhancing the lending capacity of multilateral development banks, and implementing effective debt relief actions.