Geneva [Switzerland], July 24: A new United Nations special report highlights how far the world has come in renewable energy since the Paris Agreement on Climate Change in 2015 sparked a clean energy revolution.
The report was released by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in a speech which outlined the benefits and actions needed to power the transition globally. The UN report was prepared with the support of UN agencies and partners - Including the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO).
"Renewables already nearly match fossil fuels in global installed power capacity. And that's just the beginning. Last year, almost all the new power capacity built came from renewables. Every continent on Earth added more renewables capacity than fossil fuels. And renewables generated almost a third of global electricity," said Guterres.
In 2023 alone, clean energy sectors drove 10% of global GDP growth. In India, 5%. The United States, 6%. China - a leader in the energy transition - 20%. And in the European Union, nearly 33%.
And clean energy sector jobs now outnumber fossil fuel jobs - employing almost 35 million people worldwide.
"Why? Because it makes economic sense," said Guterres in his address "a moment of opportunity: supercharging the clean energy age."
The WMO supports the global energy transition by helping National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) generate and apply weather, water, and climate intelligence to accelerate clean energy development at the national level.
"As the world races to transition away from fossil fuels, we must also transition to intelligence-driven systems that can anticipate, adapt, and thrive amid a changing climate. Weather, water, and climate services are mission-critical for powering a clean, reliable, and equitable energy future," said Roberta Boscolo, WMO Climate and Energy lead.
Source: Emirates News Agency
