Guterres on the global rise of renewables
During a major speech on the future of the energy transition and renewable sources, António Guterres described the process as unstoppable and economically advantageous. The UN Secretary-General called his special climate address “a moment of opportunity.”
The numbers back him up. Last year, global investments in clean energy totaled $2 trillion, exceeding fossil fuel investments by $800 billion and representing a 70% increase over the past decade.
According to the latest figures from the International Renewable Energy Agency, solar power, once four times more expensive than fossil fuels, is now 41% cheaper. Offshore wind is even more competitive, at 53% less than its fossil counterparts.
“This isn’t just about energy,” Guterres said, “it’s about opportunity, the opportunity to repair our relationship with nature.”
The shift is already happening worldwide
Last year, nearly all newly installed power capacity came from renewable sources, with every continent prioritizing renewables over fossil fuels. That trend, Guterres emphasized, is no longer a projection, it’s a reality. “No government, no industry, no vested interest can hold this back,” he said.
Fossil fuel lobbies will try, he warned, “and we know just how far they’ll go,” but added, “I’ve never been more certain they will fail. We’ve passed the point of no return.”
Why the transition makes sense, economically and politically
Guterres pointed to multiple reasons for optimism, starting with economics. For decades, economic growth was tightly linked to rising emissions. But that link is breaking. In many advanced economies, emissions have peaked, yet growth continues.
In 2023 alone, clean energy accounted for 10% of global GDP growth. Jobs in clean energy now outnumber fossil fuel jobs, employing 35 million people worldwide. Even Texas, the heart of America’s oil industry, has become a renewables leader. “Why did it happen?” Guterres asked. “Because it makes economic sense.”
Guterres slams fossil fuel subsidies as distortion
Despite the momentum, fossil fuels still benefit from global subsidies at a 9-to-1 ratio over renewables. Guterres called this “a clear market distortion.” Countries that continue this pattern, led by the United States, are “not protecting their economies, they are sabotaging them,” he said, adding that this undermines global competitiveness.
Energy security and access drive further momentum
Energy security is another compelling reason to accelerate renewables, Guterres argued. Clean energy supports energy sovereignty. Today, wars and geopolitical tensions pose a serious threat to fossil fuel supplies, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a clear example.
Lastly, accessibility. You can’t build a coal plant in someone’s backyard, but you can deliver solar panels to the most remote village on Earth. Solar and wind power can be deployed faster, more affordably, and with greater flexibility than fossil fuels ever could. While nuclear will remain part of the global energy mix, Guterres concluded, “it will never match renewables in terms of access.
