The unhealthy levels of fine particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide originate mainly from the burning of fossil fuels. It could decarbonize 90 percent of the power sector by 2050, massively cutting carbon emissions and helping to mitigate climate change.Īlthough solar and wind power costs are expected to remain higher in 20 then pre-pandemic levels due to general elevated commodity and freight prices, their competitiveness actually improves due to much sharper increases in gas and coal prices, says the International Energy Agency (IEA).Īccording to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 99 percent of people in the world breathe air that exceeds air quality limits and threatens their health, and more than 13 million deaths around the world each year are due to avoidable environmental causes, including air pollution. With falling costs, there is a real opportunity for much of the new power supply over the coming years to be provided by low-carbon sources.Ĭheap electricity from renewable sources could provide 65 percent of the world’s total electricity supply by 2030. Costs of onshore and offshore wind energy fell by 56 percent and 48 percent respectively.įalling prices make renewable energy more attractive all around – including to low- and middle-income countries, where most of the additional demand for new electricity will come from. The cost of electricity from solar power fell by 85 percent between 20. Prices for renewable energy technologies are dropping rapidly. Renewable energy actually is the cheapest power option in most parts of the world today. Renewables offer a way out of import dependency, allowing countries to diversify their economies and protect them from the unpredictable price swings of fossil fuels, while driving inclusive economic growth, new jobs, and poverty alleviation. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) estimates that 90 percent of the world’s electricity can and should come from renewable energy by 2050. In contrast, renewable energy sources are available in all countries, and their potential is yet to be fully harnessed. Renewable energy sources are all around usĪbout 80 percent of the global population lives in countries that are net-importers of fossil fuels - that’s about 6 billion people who are dependent on fossil fuels from other countries, which makes them vulnerable to geopolitical shocks and crises. Here are five reasons why accelerating the transition to clean energy is the pathway to a healthy, livable planet today and for generations to come. About 29 percent of electricity currently comes from renewable sources. Renewable energy sources – which are available in abundance all around us, provided by the sun, wind, water, waste, and heat from the Earth – are replenished by nature and emit little to no greenhouse gases or pollutants into the air.įossil fuels still account for more than 80 percent of global energy production, but cleaner sources of energy are gaining ground. To achieve this, we need to end our reliance on fossil fuels and invest in alternative sources of energy that are clean, accessible, affordable, sustainable, and reliable. The science is clear: to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, emissions need to be reduced by almost half by 2030 and reach net-zero by 2050. Renewable energy – powering a safer futureĮnergy is at the heart of the climate challenge – and key to the solution.Ī large chunk of the greenhouse gases that blanket the Earth and trap the sun’s heat are generated through energy production, by burning fossil fuels to generate electricity and heat.įossil fuels, such as coal, oil and gas, are by far the largest contributor to global climate change, accounting for over 75 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions and nearly 90 percent of all carbon dioxide emissions.
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