Countries are being urged to significantly raise renewable energy
ambition and adopt targets to transform the global energy system in the next
round of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), according to a new report
by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) that will be released at
the UN Climate Change Conference (COP25) in Madrid. The report will show that
renewable energy ambition within NDCs would have to more than double by 2030 to
put the world in line with the Paris Agreement goals, cost-effectively reaching
7.7 terawatts (TW) of globally installed capacity by then. Today’s renewable
energy pledges under the NDCs are falling short of this, targeting only 3.2 TW.
The report NDCs in 2020: Advancing
Renewables in the Power Sector and Beyond will be released at
IRENA’s official side event on enhancing NDCs and raising ambition on 11
December 2019. It will state that with over 2.3 TW installed renewable capacity
today, almost half of the additional renewable energy capacity foreseen by
current NDCs has already been installed. The analysis will also highlight
that delivering on increased renewable energy ambition can be achieved in a
cost-effective way and with considerable socio-economic benefits across the
world.
“Increasing renewable energy targets is absolutely necessary,” said IRENA’s
Director-General Francesco La Camera. “Much more is possible. There is a
decisive opportunity for policy makers to step up climate action by raising
ambition on renewables, which are the only immediate solution to meet rising
energy demand whilst decarbonising the economy and building resilience”.
“IRENA’s analysis shows that a pathway to a decarbonised economy is
technologically possible and socially and economically beneficial,” continued
Mr. La Camera. “Renewables are good for growth, good for job creation and deliver
significant welfare benefits. With renewables, we can also expand energy access
and help eradicate energy poverty in line with the UN Sustainable Development
Agenda 2030. IRENA will promote knowledge exchange, strengthen partnerships and
work with all stakeholders to catalyse action on the ground. We are engaging
with countries and regions worldwide to facilitate renewable energy projects
and raise their ambitions”.
NDCs must become a driving force for an accelerated global energy transformation. The current pledges reflect neither the past decade’s rapid growth nor the ongoing market trends for renewables. Through a higher renewable energy ambition, NDCs could serve to advance multiple climate and development objectives.
The report will be available at https://www.irena.org/publications.