Global progress toward clean energy remains far behind targets set under the Paris Agreement. This is according to a new report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
The report reveals record-breaking renewable capacity gains during 2024. However, it cautions that current momentum falls drastically short of what is required for a stable, net-zero future.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has once again urged governments, investors, and industries to accelerate efforts. These efforts are toward achieving a just and inclusive energy transition.
The Record Growth: A Step Forward, But Still Too Slow
According to IRENA’s Delivering on the UAE Consensus 2030 Progress Report, the world added an unprecedented 582 gigawatts (GW) of renewable capacity in 2024. This addition represents the largest annual expansion in history. It shows solar and wind energy leading the transformation across developed and developing economies alike.
However, even this growth leaves the global community well behind the pace needed to triple renewable energy capacity by 2030. This was agreed at COP28. IRENA projects that the world must now add at least 1,122 GW of clean capacity every year. This almost doubles the yearly rate achieved during 2024.
UN Chief Guterres: “The Clean Energy Revolution Is Unstoppable”
UN Secretary-General António Guterres praised IRENA’s findings. He warned that “records alone will not keep the 1.5°C climate goal alive.” He emphasized that renewables are now cheaper, faster, and more reliable than fossil fuels. They are the cornerstone of a just, inclusive global economy.
However, he urged nations to “step up, scale up, and speed up” efforts. These efforts aim to achieve the target of a net-zero world before the climate window closes.
His message highlighted that every dollar invested in clean technologies strengthens economies, creates jobs, and propels global stability. It reduces dependency on volatile fossil markets.
The COP28 Commitment: Still Far from Reality
At the COP28 conference, global leaders pledged to produce 11.2 terawatts (TW) of renewable power by 2030. This marks a decisive shift toward sustainable energy futures. Despite setting this ambitious goal, IRENA’s analysis shows the world is on track to reach only 10.3 TW by 2030. This is if no urgent policy changes occur.
Therefore, bridging this nearly 1 TW gap requires annual growth rates to rise to at least 16.6 percent. This compares with the current global average of 10 percent. The agency’s findings demonstrate that while the technology is ready, investment, political consistency, and equitable financing remain the major roadblocks. These prevent universal energy transformation.
The Investment Gap: Why Money Matters Most
IRENA estimates that the world needs to mobilize over USD 1.4 trillion annually for renewables between 2025 and 2030. This is more than double current funding levels.
Investment in renewable infrastructure—including modernized electricity grids, efficient storage systems, and clean-tech manufacturing—accounts for the largest portion of future needs. Energy experts warn that continued underinvestment could trap the global economy in high-emission pathways. This would increase climate risks and long-term adaptation costs exponentially.
As such, Guterres called on advanced economies and international financial institutions to prioritize clean energy. This should be in recovery packages, trade incentives, and development assistance programs.
Wind and Solar Lead, But Other Technologies Lag
In 2024, solar power accounted for roughly three-quarters of all renewable additions. This amounted to 452 GW installed worldwide. It reflects the technology’s rapidly declining cost curve. Wind energy contributed 113 GW, showing steady year-on-year returns. However, high installation costs continue to limit growth in emerging markets and small island states.
However, hydropower, geothermal, and bioenergy sectors saw slower expansion. There is an urgent need to diversify renewable options for grid stability and regional adaptability. IRENA says diversifying sources will help address storage limitations. It will ensure that developing nations with less solar or wind potential can still decarbonize effectively.
The Efficiency Challenge: The Other Half of the Equation
Beyond renewables, the report stresses that global progress on energy efficiency remains insufficient. Energy intensity improved by only 1 percent in 2024. Reaching efficiency goals consistent with COP28’s “UAE Consensus” requires at least 4 percent annual improvements. This highlights the need for technological and behavioral innovations.
Greater efficiency aligns energy demand with climate-friendly production levels. It enables governments to maximize carbon reductions without losing economic productivity. Such improvements call for expanded retrofitting programs. They also require sustainable transportation infrastructure. Additionally, industrial process optimization is necessary to cut emissions across all economic sectors.
Inequality in the Transition: The North-South Divide
IRENA underscores a persistent inequality between wealthy and developing nations in renewable deployment, financing, and industrial manufacturing capacity. The world’s richest countries are urged to increase their share of renewable investments. This should reach around 20 percent of total global capacity by decade’s end.
Developing nations have vast renewable potential. However, they continue to face limited access to affordable finance. Modern technology and skilled labor are also in short supply. Closing this divide will require global financial reforms. Debt relief mechanisms are essential. We also need knowledge-transfer frameworks to enable equitable participation in the clean energy economy.
Infrastructure Bottlenecks: Grids, Supply Chains, and Policy Delays
The IRENA report identifies supply-chain disruptions, outdated grids, and cumbersome regulatory processes as key obstacles slowing renewable expansion today. Electricity grids designed for the fossil fuel era must evolve to handle distributed power generation. They must also deal with variable energy inputs such as wind or solar.
Meanwhile, clean-tech supply chains remain overly concentrated in a few markets. This threatens resilience and inflates costs during shortages or geopolitical tensions. Streamlined regulatory approvals, expansion of interconnection systems, and digital grid modernization are highlighted as immediate solutions. These solutions aim to overcome these barriers at scale.
Economic and Social Advantages of Clean Energy Acceleration
Renewable energy expansion has impacts beyond emission reductions. It remains one of the strongest drivers of job creation, innovation, and rural economic development worldwide. IRENA’s findings show that clean energy investments now generate more direct employment. This surpasses the fossil fuel industries across nearly all major world regions.
Every gigawatt of new renewable capacity drives thousands of green jobs. This growth is especially visible in construction, manufacturing, and maintenance. It empowers local communities economically. Furthermore, decentralized renewable networks enhance energy security for remote populations. They create investment opportunities that benefit small- and medium-sized enterprises sustainably.
Why Speed Matters: The Window for 1.5°C Is Closing
The IRENA report echoes what scientists have long cautioned. The current pace of transition will not keep the planet within the 1.5°C warming threshold. Delays in scaling renewables risk locking economies into high-carbon infrastructure until mid-century. This undermines climate goals. It also negatively impacts global health priorities simultaneously.
Accelerating clean energy adoption by only five years could prevent millions of pollution-related deaths. It could reduce healthcare burdens. It would also ensure affordable electricity access worldwide. The United Nations stresses that a faster shift is not only environmentally essential. It is also economically rational. This shift is morally imperative for current and future generations.
The Road to COP30: A Moment of Global Responsibility
As preparations begin for COP30 in Belém, Brazil, countries are urged to integrate renewable targets into their updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Doubling national ambition levels is essential. This will align with the global goal of tripling renewables by 2030. Such steps are crucial for meaningful progress within this decade.
IRENA emphasizes that cooperation among governments, private investors, cities, and civil society is crucial. This cooperation will determine whether the clean energy revolution achieves its transformative potential. The world can make COP30 a defining moment in climate and energy leadership history by boosting finance. It can also modernize policy frameworks while ensuring inclusion.
The Future Must Be Renewable, Inclusive, and Fast
The IRENA 2025 Renewable Energy Progress Report delivers both optimism and caution. Renewable capacity records continue to break. However, the challenge remains monumental. UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message resonates clearly. Renewables are humanity’s greatest opportunity for progress and survival. However, time is rapidly running out.
To secure a resilient, net-zero future, countries must act decisively. They need to prioritize clean energy over fossil dependence. It is essential to ensure fairness across all economies and societies. The direction forward is clear. We must invest boldly. Innovate quickly. Collaborate globally to transform today’s energy momentum into tomorrow’s sustainable reality.
