A COP30 roundtable in Belém, Brazil. PHOTO/UN.
By PATRICK MAYOYO
newshub@eyewitness.africa
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has ramped up his call for a faster global transition from fossil fuels to clean energy, which he described as “the cheapest source of new electricity in nearly every country.”
The latest appeal came on Friday during his address to the Energy Transition Roundtable in Belém, Brazil, just days before the formal opening of the COP30 climate conference tomorrow (Monday).
“The fossil fuel era is over. Clean energy is on the rise. Let us make the transition fair, fast, and final,” Guterres declared.
As the impacts of climate change continue to impose growing human and economic costs across the globe, every COP meeting is viewed as a crucial moment for decisive action. COP30 is no exception.
At the conference, key discussions will centre on mitigation, adaptation, transparency, Article 6, finance, and non-Party stakeholder engagement. Participants will also review the progress made through Regional Collaboration Centres and other climate initiatives.
Notably, three reports released last month on national adaptation plans (NAPs), nationally determined contributions (NDCs), and biennial transparency reports (BTRs) will be up for discussion, providing insights into the state of climate action ahead of COP30.
The UN’s Climate Change Quarterly Update: Q3 2025 covers important developments across mitigation, adaptation, transparency, and other critical areas. Read the full report here.
In his address, Guterres told global leaders that the “global energy landscape is changing at lightning speed.” Last year, green energy sources made up 90 per cent of new power capacity, while investment in renewables reached $2 trillion, outstripping fossil fuel investments by $800 billion.
“The renewables revolution is here,” Guterres affirmed. “But we must accelerate the pace, ensuring that all nations benefit from this transformation.”
UN Secretary-General António Guterres (right) participates in a discussion on energy transition in Belém, Brazil. PHOTO/ Kiara Worth/ UNFCCC.
The Secretary-General emphasised that the transition from fossil fuels must be “just, orderly, and equitable.” He called for a tripling of renewable energy capacity and doubling of energy efficiency by the end of the decade.
However, he cautioned that countries are still falling short in their efforts. Even if current national climate action plans are fully implemented, the global temperature rise is expected to exceed 2°C above pre-industrial levels.
“That means more floods, more heatwaves, and more suffering worldwide,” he warned.
To keep global warming below 1.5°C by the end of the century, Guterres stressed that global emissions must be cut by nearly half by 2030, reach net-zero by 2050, and become net-negative beyond that.
The UN chief outlined five key areas for urgent action. First, he urged governments to “align laws, policies, and incentives with a fair energy transition” and to phase out fossil fuel subsidies that distort markets and maintain dependence on outdated energy sources.
He also emphasised that governments must place people and equity at the heart of the transition, offering support to workers and communities reliant on fossil fuels through retraining and new job opportunities. This is especially important for young people and women.
“Invest in infrastructure – grids, storage, and efficiency. Renewables are growing rapidly, but infrastructure must keep up – and quickly,” he added.
Lastly, Guterres called for scaling up finance to support developing countries in their transition to clean energy. He pointed out that Africa receives just 2 per cent of global clean energy investments.
“We must support developing countries to fulfil their commitments to transition away from fossil fuels, through stronger cooperation, investment, and technology transfer, with solutions tailored to their capacities and needs,” he concluded.
