Global New Energy Needs More Policy Support

Political inaction on sustainable energy policies to blame for lack of progress on UN climate & development goals; Renewables now supply more than a quarter (26%) of global electricity production but current trends in the sector show that bolder policy decisions are needed across all end-use sectors to make our energy systems sustainable.

18 June 2019 (REN21)

Renewable energy is increasingly powering the world, but erratic policy making is holding the sector back from its potential contribution to cutting carbon pollution and meeting climate and development targets, according to REN21’s Renewables 2019 Global Status Report (GSR)…[It] shows that lack of political will is threatening to derail the crucial UN 2030 Climate and Development Goals…Only 44 governments have implemented carbon pricing policies, covering just 13% of global CO2 emissions…Continued support from governments around the world in the form of subsidies for the fossil fuel industry are propping up dirty energy…

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The estimated total global subsidies for fossil fuel consumption were USD 300 billion in 2017, an 11% increase from 2016…Renewables now supply more than a quarter (26%) of global electricity production but the transport, cooling and heating sectors lag far behind in renewables adoption…In the US, city and state-level commitments in support of renewables increased and investment in renewables was at its highest level since 2011…More than 100 cities, ranging from Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, Auckland, Stockholm and Seattle use at least 70% renewable electricity.” click here for more

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