COP27: ‘Unstoppable’ renewables help climate and security – but pace must double, experts urge
- ‘The market is moving towards a system based on renewables and complemented by hydrogen, mainly green. No one can stop this progress’, energy agency chief says
- Meanwhile, more than 600 fossil fuel lobbyists from some of the world’s biggest polluters registered to join the talks, up 25 per cent from last year’s summit
Russia’s war in Ukraine has forced a short-term scramble for fossil fuels but the rise of solar, wind and other clean energies is “unstoppable”, the head of the International Renewable Energy Agency said.
Speaking at the UN COP27 climate summit in Egypt, Francesco La Camera said market forces now all but ensure renewables will keep growing fast – but also warned that the pace will need to double to prevent a climate catastrophe.
The Ukraine war has led to a serious energy supply crunch and oil and gas price spikes that have forced especially European countries to quickly search for new suppliers as they head into winter.
“In the short term, this will have an impact,” said La Camera, director general of Irena.
“But in the medium and long term, there is no other way than to accelerate decarbonisation. Because ultimately renewables are not only good for the climate, jobs, GDP, but are a real way to ensure energy independence.”
Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg also highlighted the strategic aspect of a shift away from dependency on Russia and other oil and gas suppliers to clean and safe renewables.