The UN Secretary General speaks at the climate meeting in Belém. UN Secretary General: Energy transition must be “fair, fast and final” Climate and Environment
The UN Secretary-General has issued a call for urgent action to accelerate the global transition to clean energy. According to him, the world is on a dangerous trajectory leading to atmospheric warming of more than two degrees Celsius.
During a roundtable on the energy transition, held as part of the climate summit in Belem with the participation of Brazilian President Lula da Silva, António Guterres emphasized that the revolution in the field of renewable energy has already begun, but change must happen faster.
According to the data provided by the Secretary General, in 2024, 90 percent of new energy capacity came from renewable sources. Investments in clean energy have reached two trillion dollars – that’s 800 billion more than the amount invested in the extraction of fossil resources. alarming trends, flows of misinformation and the need for joint action
Renewable sources have become the cheapest way to generate electricity in almost all countries of the world, António Guterres noted. Every dollar invested in green energy creates three times more jobs than invested in fossil energy.
“Despite the progress made, we are still moving towards dangerous warming,” the UN chief emphasized. – Even if all new national commitments are fully implemented, the world will still continue to move towards warming well above two degrees. That means more floods, more heat, more suffering – everywhere.”
Citing the latest scientific data, António Guterres warned that exceeding 1.5 degrees Celsius is inevitable as early as the early 2030s. To return to safe levels by the end of the century, global emissions must be cut by almost half by 2030, reach net zero by 2050 and move into negative balance after that.
Proposed measures
The UN chief called for international transparency and coherence, legal reform and the end of fossil fuel subsidies, which he said “distort” markets and impede progress.
“We need to put people and justice at the center of the transition: supporting workers and communities whose lives still depend on coal, oil and gas; provide training, protection and new opportunities – especially for youth and women,” said António Guterres.
The UN chief noted that infrastructure must keep pace with the growth of renewable sources, and called for urgent investment in energy networks, energy storage and efficiency improvements. All new electricity demand, including the needs of data centers and AI, must be met by clean energy sources, Guterres said. Technology, he said, should be “part of the solution, not a new burden.”
The problem of financing
The Secretary General paid special attention to financing in his speech. According to him, today Africa receives only two percent of global investments in clean energy, which underscores the need to increase international cooperation, reduce the cost of capital and attract private investment.
“Let’s act quickly and coherently! – called Antonio Guterres. “We need to make equity an engine of acceleration and build an economy that is clean, inclusive and sustainable… The era of fossil fuels is ending. Demand for clean energy is growing. Let’s make this transition fair, quick and final! “