SEO Riders:
– Guterres declares the fossil fuel era “running out of road” as renewables dominate new energy capacity.
– Over US $2 trillion invested in clean energy last year—$800 billion more than fossil fuels—signalling irreversible momentum.
– Tech giants urged to power data centres with 100% renewables by 2030 as global plans accelerate toward COP30.
In a keynote address titled “A Moment of Opportunity: Supercharging the Clean Energy Age,” UN Secretary‑General António Guterres proclaimed that the fossil fuel era is “running out of road,” while solar, wind and other renewable technologies now represent nearly all new electricity capacity installed globally. Drawing on data from IRENA, the World Bank, IMF, and OECD, he noted that solar is now about 41% cheaper, and wind 53% cheaper than fossil fuels, a shift that has driven US $2 trillion in clean energy investment in 2024—$800 billion more than fossil fuels, and up nearly 70% in just ten years. Guterres emphasized that this transformation offers more than sustainability—it delivers energy security, economic growth, public health benefits, and supports achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
He urged world leaders to integrate ambitious clean energy ambitions into updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) ahead of the COP30 climate summit, calling for countries to commit to tripling renewables, doubling energy efficiency, and setting net-zero pathways aligned with limiting warming to 1.5 °C. Guterres also challenged technology corporations to power all data centres with 100% renewable energy by 2030, warning that unchecked fossil fuel dependency threatens global economic and energy stability. He concluded with optimism: “The clean energy future is no longer a promise, it’s a fact,” and asserted that no interest—corporate, political or otherwise—can halt this irreversible transition.
