Why renewables are difficult to talk about at UN climate summits

When the 2035 climate targets of countries are scrutinised at the upcoming United Nations climate change conference COP30 in Brazil, the spotlight will be on whether the nations have done enough to meet a collective goal to ramp up clean energy adoption.

- Shabana Begum Correspondent

A UN report released on Oct 28, which analysed the targets submitted by 64 countries, including Singapore, found that the plans fall below what is needed to limit global warming to 1.5 deg C above pre-industrial levels.

The Straits Times speaks to experts and the Singapore authorities to chart how renewable energy is framed in the international fora, and the challenges in accelerating its use.

HOW ARE RENEWABLES DISCUSSED AT THE UN CLIMATE CHANGE CONFERENCES?

The 2023 conference, COP28 in Dubai, was the first time in nearly 30 years that “fossil fuels” made it to a COP deal, when parties agreed to transition away from the planet-warming fuels by 2050.

Countries also agreed to triple global renewable energy capacity by 2030, from 2022 levels.

“The decision for COP28 was the first time a COP decision included a quantitative goal for renewable energy,” said Dr Ali Izadi-Najafabadi, head of Asia-Pacific at energy research firm BloombergNEF.

These key goals were outlined in the first “health check” on the planet’s state of climate action, the Global Stocktake, on what needed to be done to meet the Paris Agreement’s goal.

The agreement, adopted in 2015, aims to limit global warming to 1.5 deg C above pre-industrial levels.

In 2024, new renewable installations hit a record high globally, with more than 580GW added, slightly more than India’s power capacity currently. A significant amount of the boost came from China.

“One of the reasons governments were willing to include this target was that it applies at the global level, without obligating every party to triple renewables domestically,” Dr Izadi-Najafabadi pointed out.

HOW ARE COUNTRIES PROGRESSING ON THE GOAL TO TRIPLE RENEWABLES?

Countries’ climate ambitions for 2035 - officially due for submission in early 2025 — have been scrutinised and held up against the outcomes decided on in the first global stock take.