The United Nations (UN) Secretary General, Anthonio Guterres, has called on decision-makers to take on the cause of the renewable energy revolution more seriously to avert a climate catastrophe.
The UN Chief while making the call via a video in the 13th Session of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) Assembly, taking place this weekend in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates also outlined five-point plan that would ensure a just transition of a safer climate by the end of the century.
There is no doubt that the current climate crisis is an undeniable death sentence even as the world is still addicted to fossil fuels which will ultimately lead to the increase of global temperature from its current 1.5 degrees, the UN chief warned.
“Together, let’s jumpstart a renewables revolution and create a brighter future for all.
“Under current policies, we are headed for 2.8 degrees of global warming by the end of the century. The consequences will be devastating. Several parts of our planet will be uninhabitable. And for many, this is a death sentence,” he said.
While renewable energy sources currently account for about 30 per cent of global electricity, Mr. Guterres said this must double to over 60 per cent by 2030, and 90 per cent by mid-century.
Mr Guterres outlining his Five-point Energy Plan first calls for removing intellectual property barriers so that key renewable technologies, including energy storage, are treated as global public goods.
Also, countries must diversify and increase access to supply chains for raw materials and components for renewables technologies, without degrading the environment.
This Mr Guterres said, “Can help create millions of green jobs, especially for women and youth in the developing world.”
The Secretary-General urged decision makers to cut bureaucratic bottlenecks and fast-track approvals for sustainable projects worldwide and modernize power grids.
In addition to his Five-point plan, there is need for countries to focus on energy subsidies, stressing the need to shift from fossil fuels to clean and affordable energy, adding “we must support vulnerable groups affected by this transition.”
The final point highlighted how public and private investments in renewables should triple to at least $4 trillion dollars a year.
He, however noted that most investments in renewables are in developed countries, he, therefore urged countries to work together to reduce the capital cost for renewables and ensure that financing flows to those who need it most.
On the financial aspect of renewable revolution, multilateral development banks must also invest massively in renewable energy infrastructure, he added, while richer nations must work with credit agencies to scale up green investments in developing countries.
Meanwhile, during the session, the President of the UN General Assembly, Csaba Kőrösi, underlined how success in climate protection depends on the transition to clean energy.
“But the energy transition we have foreseen was a peace time agenda,” he said in a pre-recorded message.
“How will it work in times of major political confrontations when energy supplies are turned into a tool of conflict?”
Although setbacks might occur in the short term, along with a probable rise in the greenhouse gas emissions that drive global warming, Mr. Kőrösi pointed to the long-term benefits of green energy.
“If we look into the investment trends, the long-term impact of the conflict might be the opposite. From solar to wind, wave, and geothermal, renewable energy sources are available for every climate. Their use has a potential of strengthening energy sovereignty,” he said.
For renewable energy to hit the 60 percent of global power generation by 2030, the President of the UN General Assembly noted that investing in scientific tools of measurement, creating a follow-up mechanism to assess progress, removing intellectual property barriers, and bolstering partnerships for sustainable energy initiatives are imperative to the reach the target.
Mr. Kőrösi stressed the urgency to act now.
“We are in a desperate race against time. We need bold transformative action to curtail climate change,” he said. “We have the knowledge. We have the means. We should only have the will.”