WORLD leaders and innovators need to expedite action plans towards a robust clean energy transition if the world is to attain the set net-zero target by 2050, International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) director-general Francesco La Camera has said.
As the world grapples with climate change, calls have been made to reduce carbon emissions worsening the crisis, particularly through transforming the energy sector —a source of around three-quarters of the global warming causing gases.
To keep global warming below more than 1.5°C – as called for in the Paris Agreement – emissions need to be reduced by 45% by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050.
Delivering a keynote address at the ongoing 15th IRENA Assembly in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), on Sunday, Camera said this year’s event, themed; “Accelerating the Renewable Energy Transition - The Way Forward”, was a platform to influence the speeding up of a coordinated green energy revolution.
“It (the theme) was carefully chosen to reflect and echo the urgency to shape policies and strategies that prioritise energy security, drive socio-economic development, and mobilise innovative financing solutions to drive the global energy transformation,” said Camera.
“Renewables offer a path forward (and) a means to reduce dependence on finite resources, stabilise energy costs, and empower countries to harness their domestic resources for energy independence.”
The ongoing 15th session, which began on Saturday, has registered a record attendance with delagates from over 139 countries and the European Union, including 40 represented at ministerial level, observers and the private sector.
In 2024, IRENA delivered on its new mandate to monitor progress in implementing the global pledge from the UAE Consensus to triple renewables and double efficiency, and there are gaps according to Camera.
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“Despite our progress in certain areas, the world remains off track to deliver on its promise,” he said, adding that there was need for deliberate efforts to achieve clean energy reliance.
“The energy transition cannot be viewed as a mere response to crisis but a proactive strategy to get on the 1.5-degree pathway and ensure long-term stability, equity, and sustainability in the global energy landscape.”
IRENA statistics show that in 2023 the world witnessed a record 473 Gigawatts (GW) of new renewable power capacity added, as aims to reach a global target of 11.2 Terawatts (TW) by 2030 intensify.
