Electricity supplies powered by renewables and low-emission sources must double by 2030 to keep global warming in check. A recent briefing by the Madrid Meteorological Organization (WMO) highlights that investments in renewable energy should triple over the same period to stay aligned with net-zero goals by 2050.
The report on the state of climate services in 2022: energy warns that failing to hit these targets risks worsened climate change, more extreme weather, and greater water stress. All of this undermines energy security and can threaten renewable energy supply itself.
Compiled with input from 26 organizations, the interagency study outlines practical cases and emphasizes the extraordinary opportunities clean energy networks offer for cutting climate pollution, improving air quality, protecting water resources, safeguarding ecosystems, and creating jobs.
To meet the long-term Paris Agreement goal of limiting warming to 1.5°C, the projection shows that by 2030 about 7.1 terawatts of clean energy capacity need to be installed worldwide.
WMO Secretary General Petteri Taalas noted at a press briefing that the energy sector accounts for roughly three-quarters of global greenhouse gas emissions.
In Taalas’s view, boosting energy efficiency alongside a transition to clean electricity generation such as solar, wind, and hydropower is essential for a successful 21st century. The aim is net-zero emissions by 2050, and achieving this requires doubling low-emission electricity in the next eight years. A full transformation of the global energy system is necessary, according to him.
Looking ahead, the study predicts that by 2050 the world’s electricity mix will be dominated by renewable sources, with solar power poised to be the largest single contributor among them.
The report highlights Africa as a critical frontier with substantial untapped potential and a real chance to become a major market player. It notes that around 60 percent of the world’s top solar resources are in Africa, yet installed photovoltaic capacity remains minimal relative to its vast potential. This is presented as a major opportunity for regional development and energy security.
Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency, calls for an urgent response to climate impacts on energy systems to ensure energy security while accelerating the transition to net zero emissions.
Radical Actions Needed
Francesco La Camera, managing director of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), argues that the time to move quickly is now. Anything less than swift, decisive action risks derailing the 1.5°C trajectory.
He describes renewables as a strategic option that can deliver affordable energy, create jobs, spur growth, and build resilience for communities around the world.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged bold climate action, noting that global benefits could reach about US$26 billion by 2030. Nevertheless, he warns that renewable energy investment remains too low, especially in developing nations, and climate services for energy are not given enough emphasis in adaptation and decarbonization decisions.
Mikko Ollikainen, director of the Adaptation Fund, underscores the energy sector’s role in reducing climate-linked emissions while pushing energy systems to adapt to ongoing and accelerating climate impacts.
Climate Change Threatens Energy Supply
The report, which will be presented this Thursday at the World Energy Council meeting in Scotland on October 13, details how climate change directly affects fuel supply, power generation, and the resilience of energy infrastructure now and in the future. Heat waves and droughts are already stressing electricity generation capacity.
Historic power outages linked to a record heat wave in Buenos Aires in January 2022 and freezing rain in Russia in November 2020 show how weather extremes can disrupt grids, sometimes for days.
Additionally, fresh water availability is a major risk to electricity generation. In 2020, about 87 percent of the world’s electricity came from thermal, nuclear, and hydro sources that depend on water. This reliance is projected to rise toward 25 percent for some nuclear facilities over the next two decades.
The IAEA notes that nuclear plants depend on water for cooling and are often located in low-lying coastal areas, making them vulnerable to sea level rise and flooding. The Turkey Point plant in Florida stands as a case in point, with future risk expected to grow as climate conditions change.
Poor Planning
Despite these risks, the analysis shows that only about 40 percent of UNFCCC climate action plans prioritize adaptation in the energy sector, with investments lagging behind. The clear message is that the supply of low-emission energy must double by 2030 to reach net-zero by 2050. The shift to renewables also helps reduce freshwater stress since solar and wind generation use far less water than traditional fossil fuel or nuclear plants.
The study also emphasizes that clean technologies represent a new opportunity for Africa, which has attracted only around 2 percent of global clean energy investments over the past two decades. To provide modern energy for all Africans, about US$25 billion annually is required, a figure roughly equal to one percent of global energy investments.