UN Chief: Fossil Fuel Age Is Fading — Clean Energy Future Is Here
In a powerful speech at UN Headquarters, Secretary-General António Guterres declared the world has reached a turning point in the global energy transition. With solar and wind now cheaper than fossil fuels, and clean energy investment soaring, Guterres said the fossil fuel era is “flailing and failing.”
“The energy transition is unstoppable,” he said. “But it’s not yet fast enough or fair enough.”
His address — “A Moment of Opportunity: Supercharging the Clean Energy Age” — came alongside a major UN report and arrives ahead of a critical deadline: the next round of national climate plans due before the COP30 summit.
Clean Energy Investment Surges, But Fossil Fuels Still Dominate
Global investment in clean energy reached a record $2 trillion last year — $800 billion more than fossil fuels and nearly 70% higher than a decade ago. Almost all new power capacity added in 2023 came from renewables, with clean energy outpacing fossil fuels on every continent.
Despite this momentum, fossil fuels remain the backbone of the world’s electricity supply. As of 2024, they provide 59.1% of global power — led by coal at 34.3% and natural gas at 22.0%. While the share of clean energy is growing, it still accounts for just 32% of total electricity, with hydropower (14.3%), wind (8.1%), and solar (6.9%) making up the bulk. Nuclear energy adds another 8.6%, offering a steady low-carbon complement.
Guterres acknowledged the progress but warned that the pace of change is still too slow to meet global climate goals. He also emphasized that the transition remains deeply uneven — with many developing regions still locked out of the clean energy boom due to limited access to finance and infrastructure.
Clean Energy: Cheaper, Safer, and Within Reach
The economics of energy are shifting rapidly. According to new figures from the International Renewable Energy Agency, solar power — once four times more expensive than fossil fuels — is now 41% cheaper, while offshore wind comes in at 53% less than its fossil fuel competitors. Today, over 90% of new renewable energy projects beat the cost of building new fossil fuel plants.
“This is not just a shift in power,” Guterres said. “It’s a shift in possibility.”
Beyond economics, Guterres highlighted the growing geopolitical case for clean energy. The war in Ukraine laid bare the vulnerabilities of fossil fuel dependence — from price shocks to energy insecurity. In contrast, renewables offer stability. “There are no price spikes for sunlight, no embargoes on wind,” he said. “Renewables mean real energy sovereignty.”
But realizing this opportunity requires more than market momentum. Guterres laid out six global priorities to supercharge the transition:
Stronger national climate plans aligned with the 1.5°C Paris target
Modernized grids and energy storage systems
Sustainable demand growth, especially from industry and cities
A just transition for workers and communities
Trade reforms to broaden clean-tech supply chains
Massive financial support for emerging markets
Fixing the Finance Gap
Despite the surge in clean energy investment, access remains highly unequal. Africa, which holds 60% of the world’s best solar potential, received just 2% of global clean energy investment in 2023. And over the past decade, only one in five clean energy dollars went to emerging and developing economies outside China.
Guterres warned that this imbalance threatens the global climate effort. Without much greater support for the Global South, the energy transition will fall short on both speed and fairness. He called for a major overhaul of international finance — including reforms to multilateral development banks and innovative tools like debt-for-climate swaps — to unlock urgently needed capital. To keep the 1.5°C goal alive and ensure universal energy access, clean energy investment in developing countries must rise more than fivefold by 2030.
The Road to COP30
With updated national climate plans due soon, Guterres urged G20 nations — responsible for 80% of global emissions — to raise ambition. That means doubling energy efficiency, tripling renewable capacity by 2030, and accelerating the phase-out of fossil fuels.
“The fossil fuel age is fading,” Guterres said in closing. “A clean energy future is no longer a promise — it’s a fact. But it won’t happen fast enough or fair enough on its own. This is our moment of opportunity.”