Expedite Fossil Fuel Phaseout, Mobilize Financial, Technical Support for Developing Countries, Secretary-General Urges International Renewable Energy Agency Assembly
Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message to the International Renewable Energy Agency’s 14th Assembly, in Abu Dhabi today:
I am pleased to send my warmest greetings to this 14th Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency [IRENA]. And I thank Mr. La Camera for his leadership.
Our collective future depends on collective action. That makes the work of IRENA critical. The renewables revolution is unstoppable. And the phaseout of fossil fuels is inevitable.
Our task is to ensure the transition is fast enough, and fair enough — to limit the rise in global temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius and bring the benefits of affordable clean power to everyone by 2030.
Countries must act on their COP28 [Twenty-eighth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)] commitments — with the G20 [Group of 20] in the lead: accelerating fossil fuel phaseout this decade; doubling energy efficiency and tripling renewables capacity; and presenting new national climate action plans by 2025, that align with 1.5 degrees and cover the whole economy.
Without finance and support, this is simply impossible for developing countries.
So, we need action: from the G20 — to mobilize the financial and technical resources they need; from developed countries — to deliver on their finance commitments; and from IRENA — to intensify your support to countries preparing their new national climate plans.
We also need a strong outcome at COP29 and reform of the business model of multilateral development banks to increase their lending potential and bolster their efforts to mobilize private finance.
Together, let’s supercharge the renewables revolution.