IRENA 16th Assembly: Opening Remarks of Francesco La Camera, Director-General

Checked against Delivery

16th IRENA Assembly, 11 January 2026, Abu Dhabi

Madam President, Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen, It is my great pleasure and honour to welcome you to the 16th session of the IRENA Assembly here in Abu Dhabi. At the outset, allow me to congratulate H.E. Joel Adrián Santos Echavarría, Minister of Energy and Mines, Dominican Republic on assuming the Presidency of the 16th Session of the Assembly. I further extend my gratitude to Vice-Minister H.E. Ms. Betty Soto, for representing Dominican Republic here today. I look forward to working together over the next two days and throughout the year ahead. I also extend my congratulations to Vice Presidents Solomon Islands, Spain, Antigua and Barbuda, and Kenya. Finally, let me thank the Outgoing Presidency of Slovenia for their leadership during the 15th Session of the Assembly and for the thoughtful guidance provided over the past year, alongside the Assembly Bureau.

I am equally delighted to welcome the distinguished delegates present, 139 countries and the European Union, including 45 Members represented at Ministerial level and, together with observers, legislators, youth, media, private sector, utilities and other valued partners totalling 1,524 participants. These are record participation numbers from our Membership and partners. In these turbulent times, when trust in multilateralism is being tested, your presence here today sends a powerful signal.

We live in a world facing multiple, overlapping crises: geopolitical tensions, economic pressures, widening inequalities, and the three great planetary crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. These forces are disrupting natural systems, straining economic and social foundations, and eroding quality of life. They are also fueling a growing sense of injustice and a stronger demand for inclusion and fair participation in the creation and distribution of global prosperity.

In short, the overall sustainability of our current development model is at stake. Just as our economic and social systems are undergoing profound change, so too is the energy system that powers them. We are moving from a centralized, fossil-fuel-based model to a more decentralized system built on renewable energy including the sustainable use of biomass, and hydrogen, especially green hydrogen produced from renewable power.

And the market has made its choice. Last year, 92% of newly installed power capacity was renewable. This year, we are heading toward another record, with nearly 700 GW of new renewable capacity expected. In just one year, we have installed twice the total nuclear capacity built over the past seventy years.

Let me share a simple truth backed by every dataset and publication IRENA has delivered last year. Today, renewables are the most competitive way to generate electricity, beating fossil fuel alternatives on cost, resilience, and on long-term stability. Renewables has claimed its dominance in the global energy landscape. In the very near future, new investments in renewables plus storage will be more convenient and economical than keeping an old coal plant alive. This sustained growth places IRENA firmly at the centre of global energy scenarios, not as an observer, but as a reference point for policy, planning and cooperation. This process is unstoppable, and nothing can reverse it.

It is time for countries to reinforce their renewable energy strategies, not only for climate action, but because renewables are the most resilient and no-regret economic pathway for development, security, decarbonisation, and competitiveness. The competitiveness of tomorrow's economies will be largely determined by their ability to move electrons and molecules at the lowest possible cost, and to deliver clean, safe, and affordable energy services. Fast movers will gain lasting productivity and competitiveness advantages over those who hesitate.

Ladies and gentlemen, renewable energy is affordable, clean, and the foundation for industrial competitiveness and productivity.

IRENA's analyses show that when renewables are embedded in industrial policy, countries capture greater domestic value, build skills, strengthen engineering capacity, and foster innovation ecosystems that sustain long-term competitiveness well beyond the energy sector. Based on the latest IRENA Costing report, CAPEX, or capital costs are expected to continue declining in the coming years. International cooperation has a key role to play in supporting the global energy transition by providing low-cost capital mechanisms. Reducing the cost of capital through predictable policy frameworks, risk-mitigation instruments, and blended finance is at the heart of delivering competitiveness, development, and sustainable prosperity. Access to low-cost finance must be a central pillar of international cooperation.

In short, renewable energy is not just a climate solution, it is a competitiveness solution, a development solution, and an energy security solution. Concerning this last aspect, and referring to the latest events, I wish to be clear: all this will not delay, but boost the renewables-based energy transition for the sake of reducing dependencies and market uncertainties.

Even when multilateralism is under strain, our Agency continues to grow, now reaching 171 Members, a testament to the relevance of our mandate and the shared conviction that cooperation on renewables has tangible value. This growth is not symbolic; it is strategic. It reflects confidence in our shared goal at a time when optimism is scarce. It reinforces IRENA's unique role in guiding the global energy transition toward a more secure, inclusive, and sustainable future.

Excellencies, we gather here today at a decisive and critical moment. Around the world, energy has moved from the background of policy debates to the very centre of economic security, social stability and geopolitical strategy. What once seemed abundant and predictable has become volatile, expensive and for millions, a source of vulnerability.

For too many households, businesses and governments, energy is no longer just a commodity, but a strategic asset for survival. While we have made strong progress in deploying renewables, we have not seen the same progress in energy efficiency. These risks widen the gap between energy demand and supply and calls for renewed attention to the tripling and doubling target by 2030.

Science is clear: without a dramatic change of the actual trajectory, the 1.5-degree goal will slip out of reach. This will be a central focus of WETO 2026 and the Tracking Report 2026, including an electrification target and a Roadmap to Transition Away from Fossil Fuels (TAFF) for consideration at COP31 in Antalya.

Ladies and Gentlemen, against this backdrop, we chose "Powering Humanity: Renewable Energy for Shared Prosperity" as the theme of this year's Assembly. This is far from mere rhetoric. It represents a strategic imperative dictated by our global reality and our collective responsibility to future generations.

In broad terms, despite significant progress, the world remains off track to deliver on its promise. This is a stark reminder that the energy transition cannot be treated as a reactive response to crises.

It must be a proactive strategy to get on the 1.5-degree pathway and ensure long-term stability, economic resilience, and sustainability in the global energy landscape. IRENA's analytical leadership is central to this process.

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, at its core, the energy transition is about people. Renewable energy must empower communities, support economic opportunity, and reinforce social stability. The IRENA Assembly offers more than the opportunity to take stock. It offers the chance to recalibrate, to align ambition with implementation, and vision with delivery. I encourage you to engage with urgency and openness, to challenge assumptions and build alliances that endure beyond this weekend.

Let us ensure that when we speak about powering humanity, we mean powering opportunity, resilience and prosperity for all. The greatest measure of success in the renewables-based energy transition will not be in the megawatts we install, but in the lives we empower and transform for the betterment of humanity.

Thank you.