22 July 2025: UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres today called for a ‘supercharged surge for renewable energy’ in a keynote speech in New York, saying that the world was on the ‘cusp of a new era, with fossil fuels running out of road, and the sun rising on a clean energy age.’  

 

A new report, Supercharging the new energy era of renewables, efficiency and electrification, launched today at the event, shows how far the world has progressed in the decade since the Paris Agreement sparked a clean energy revolution. The report sets out evidence for the ‘surge’ and making recommendations to supercharge it. Just follow the money, said Guterres, pointing out the following:  

• $2 trillion went into clean energy last year – that’s $800 billion more than fossil fuels, and up almost 70% in ten years. 

• New data released today from the International Renewable Energy Agency shows that solar – not so long ago four times the cost of fossil fuels – is now 41% cheaper.  

• Offshore wind – 53% cheaper. 

• Over 90% of new renewables worldwide produced electricity for less than the cheapest new fossil fuel alternative. 

He said this signalled not just a shift in power, it was ‘a shift in possibility’ to repair the world’s relationship with the climate, increasing the reasons to be hopeful rather than just staring at ‘doom and gloom’. “This transformation ... is fundamentally about smart economics.” 

 

Responding to the comments, Manuel Pulgar-Vidal, WWF Global Climate and Energy Lead said: “I couldn’t agree more. The climate economy is no longer emerging, and the fossil fuel era is waning – its end is in sight. There is undeniable evidence of the growth in renewable energy globally, giving momentum to development. This year is the year that we must seize the opportunity to promote more competitiveness, economic growth and development in our energy choices.” 
 

The report makes six key recommendations to supercharge the surge to renewable energy: 

1. Provide policy coherence, clarity and certainty. 

2. Invest in enabling infrastructure for the 21st Century energy system. 

3. Meet new electricity demand with renewables, especially for rapidly growing sectors like big tech – especially for AI and data centres. 

4. Place people and equity at the heart of the just energy transition, to drive inclusive economic development. 

5. Supercharge the transition by increasing cooperation on trade and investment. 

6. Dismantle structural barriers to mobilize energy-transition finance for developing countries. 

 

Notes for Editors: 

• Read more about the UN SG’s speech and the new report here 

• See what WWF is doing to support the energy transition 

• Read WWF’s new report on how governments can include fossil fuel phase out in NDCs 3.0 

• Read WWF’s COP30 policy asks for phasing out fossil fuels 

 

For further information, contact 

news@wwfint.org   or Mandy Woods mwoods@wwfint.org