Addis Ababa, July 22, 2025 (FMC) — United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres delivered a special address titled “A Moment of Opportunity: Supercharging the New Energy Era” at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on July 22, 2025. The speech, accompanied by the release of a technical report prepared by the UN Secretary-General’s Climate Action Team and international partners, outlined the urgent economic and social case for the global transition to renewable energy.
Guterres underscored the rapid momentum of clean energy growth, supported by significant market trends, technological advances, and shifting economic fundamentals. “The fossil fuel age is flailing and failing,” he declared. “We are in the dawn of a new energy era—one that is clean, affordable, secure, and inclusive.”
According to Guterres, global investment in renewable energy reached a record 2 trillion USD in 2024, exceeding fossil fuel investments by 800 billion USD. He cited data from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), showing that solar power—once four times more expensive than fossil fuels—is now 41 percent cheaper, while offshore wind is 53 percent cheaper. Over 90 percent of new renewable installations worldwide now produce electricity for less than the cheapest fossil fuel alternative, he said.
The Secretary-General noted that the economic rationale for renewables is compelling. In 2023 alone, clean energy sectors accounted for 10 percent of global GDP growth, with countries such as China, India, the United States, and EU member states recording substantial gains. The renewable energy workforce has surpassed 35 million, exceeding fossil fuel employment globally. Guterres argued that governments continuing to subsidize fossil fuel consumption—currently at a global ratio of 9 to 1—are distorting markets and undermining their own competitiveness.
“Clinging to fossil fuels doesn’t protect economies—it sabotages them,” he said, warning that such policies lock countries into stranded assets and rising costs, while missing the full potential of a clean energy economy.
Beyond economic arguments, Guterres stressed that renewable energy is the foundation of modern energy security and national sovereignty. Unlike fossil fuels, he said, clean energy sources are largely free from price volatility and supply disruptions. He emphasized that most countries possess sufficient solar, wind, or hydropower resources to achieve energy self-sufficiency.
The Secretary-General also highlighted the role of distributed and small-scale renewable technologies in providing electricity to underserved communities. He noted that while the transition is unstoppable, it remains uneven and inadequate, with many developing regions—especially Africa—receiving a disproportionately small share of clean energy investment.
To accelerate the transition, Guterres called on governments and stakeholders to act decisively in six key areas: updating national climate plans to align with the 1.5°C target; investing in modern energy infrastructure; meeting rising electricity demand sustainably; ensuring a just transition for vulnerable communities; reforming trade and investment policies to support clean energy; and transforming financial systems to unlock investment in the Global South.
“The future is being built now,” Guterres concluded. “We have the tools to power humanity’s future. Let’s make the most of them.”