Solar and wind energy are rapidly gaining ground and are expected to become even more affordable and widely used in the coming years. Speaking at the United Nations headquarters in New York, Secretary-General António Guterres highlighted the progress made since the Paris Agreement, calling it a catalyst for a global clean energy transformation.
According to a new multi-agency UN report titled “Seizing the Moment of Opportunity,” renewable energy sources—including wind, solar, and others—accounted for 74% of the global increase in electricity generation last year. In 2024 alone, 92.5% of newly added electricity capacity worldwide came from renewables.
“The fossil fuel era is stumbling and coming to an end,” Guterres stated. “We are entering a new age of energy—one defined by clean, affordable, and abundant power that fuels economic opportunity.”
Guterres pointed to financial data that supports the shift, noting that investments in green energy reached $2 trillion last year, significantly outpacing the $1.2 trillion directed toward fossil fuels.
Despite the encouraging trends, UN officials cautioned that the energy transition remains uneven, especially in Africa. The continent contributed less than 2% of new renewable capacity in 2024, even though it faces pressing energy needs. High capital costs in the Global South were cited as a major barrier.
While renewable energy is expanding rapidly, fossil fuel production is still growing to meet rising global energy demands. Guterres called on tech companies to ensure that their data centers run entirely on renewable energy by the end of the decade.
“The digital future is taking shape in the cloud,” he said. “It must be powered by the sun, the wind, and the hope of a brighter, more sustainable world.”
