The International Day of Clean Energy: Message by Antonio Guterres, the United Nations Secretary-General

Clean energy is the gift that keeps giving:

It can purify polluted air;

Meet growing energy demand;

Secure supplies;

And connect billions of people to affordable power – helping to ensure electricity access to all by 2030.

That is all while saving money and saving the planet.

A fair, just, equitable, and urgent transition from dirty fossil fuels to clean energy is essential to avoid the worst of climate chaos and spur sustainable development.

So, I celebrate this first International Day of Clean Energy;

I applaud the work of the International Renewable Energy Agency;

And I welcome the call made by countries at COP28 to triple renewable energy capacity by 2030.

It is my firm belief that fossil fuel phase-out is not only necessary, it is inevitable.

But we need governments to act, to accelerate the transition, with the biggest emitters leading the way.

That means unleashing a surge in climate finance – particularly, governments reforming the business model of multilateral development banks so that affordable finance flows.

It means countries creating new national climate plans by 2025 that map a fair and just transition to clean power.

And it means governments closing the door on the fossil fuel era – with justice and equity.

Our clean energy future is unstoppable.

Together, let’s bring it into being faster.

Thank you.