Secretary-General, at International Renewable Energy Agency Assembly, Urges Massive Investment to Make Energy Systems Efficient, Fit for 21st Century

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres' video message for the Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency, in Abu Dhabi today:

I am pleased to address this sixteenth Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). My deep appreciation to IRENA for your leadership.

You gather at a pivotal moment. COP30 [Thirtieth Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change] in Belém acknowledged that we will face a temporary overshoot above the 1.5°C limit.

Our task is clear: make that overshoot as small and as short as possible. That means cutting emissions faster, deeper, and everywhere. And that requires transitioning away from fossil fuels, supercharging renewables and boosting energy efficiency.

The good news is that the world has never been better equipped to do so. The energy transition is accelerating at breakneck speed - and you are helping to drive it. Solar and wind are smashing records. In 2025, clean energy investment soared to $2.2 trillion - double fossil fuel spending. The clean energy transition is unstoppable and irreversible.

But while technology races ahead, infrastructure lags far behind. Last year, the world invested $1 trillion in clean power generation - but less than half that in the grids needed to carry it. Permitting is slow. Supply chains are strained. And many developing countries, especially in Africa, cannot access affordable capital - despite vast renewable potential.

We must act now to build energy systems fit for the twenty-first century: by investing massively in modern, flexible grids and regional interconnections; by scaling up battery storage to balance supply and demand and keep power systems reliable; by expanding charging station networks to power the electric mobility revolution and by delivering reforms and clear policy signals - so that energy systems and markets are more efficient and transparent and investors have confidence.

Governments must provide clear rules, predictable timelines and faster permitting. And we must drive far greater energy efficiency and electrification across buildings, transport, and industry. This is how we unlock the full power and promise of renewables. And, together, this is how we finally deliver energy access to all and build energy systems that are clean, secure, and aligned with a 1.5°C world.

Once again, my thanks to IRENA for your leadership in turning the promise of a clean energy future into a reality.