"You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make." – Jane Goodall.
The COVID-19 pandemic for more than a year had become a deciding factor on how we should live. But thanks to our leaders and the covid warriors globally, the world is getting back on its feet. However, the current normalcy has only resurfaced the long-ignored elephant in the room – The Climate Change. If the decades of protests and warnings weren't enough to wake the world to its feet and address the worsening condition of the planet earth, nature in itself has decided to give all of us a final wake up.
The melting glaciers in Antarctica and severe weather changes witnessed over the past few years indicate that we are running out of time. Also, if we don't start addressing it at the earliest, it might get too late. And from the efforts made recently by the United Nations shows that, perhaps, there still is hope. Here you can read about the United Nations proposed global roadmap to sustainable energy by 2030.
Five Day Ministerial-Level Thematic Forums
According to the five-day major ministerial meeting that took place from 21st to 25th June, the UN had released a report stating, "Everyone in the world could have access to clean, affordable energy within the next nine years if countries modestly increase investments." The UN had convened the virtually held five-day ministerial-level thematic forums. In this meeting, many countries and business leaders came participated and jointly had dialogues on five focused topics:
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Energy access
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Energy transition
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Enabling SDGs through inclusive, just energy transitions
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Innovation, technology, and data
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Finance and investment
Annual Investment Proposed for Sustainable Energy by 2030
Following the five-day ministerial thematic forums discussion, the UN has a proposed global roadmap to sustainable energy by 2030. As per its observations, 759 million people can gain access to electricity with an annual investment of $35 billion by 2030. Likewise, 2.6 billion people can finally have clean cooking with another yearly investment of $25 billion by 2030. However, the investment as mentioned above represents only a tiny fraction of the enormous multi-trillion-dollar global sustainable energy investment that will ultimately positively impact the lives of one-third of the world's population.
Furthermore, the UN made recommendations to achieve clean, affordable, and sustainable energy for all by 2030 and net zero emissions by 2050 as a part of the global roadmap to sustainable energy by 2030. With the annual investment, the UN intends to start the groundwork for a large-scale mobilization.
Major Energy Compact Commitments
As a part of the five-day ministerial-level thematic forum, the national and city forums had announced significant commitments in the form of "Energy Compacts." Following the high-level dialogues underwent on sustainable energy, UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs had said, "The ambitious energy compacts being put forward by countries, businesses, cities, and many other partners are a spark of hope for achieving a just transition towards sustainable energy and for improving the lives of millions of people in the process." Furthermore, the dialogue secretary had remarked on the sustainable development goals, "But this is only the beginning, and we need much more commitment and concrete action at this year's High-level Dialogue on Energy to get where we need to be by 2030."
Current Outcome
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The virtually held global roadmap to sustainable energy by 2030 ministerial thematic forums has had the following outcomes:
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An overall transformational effort is required to achieve the SDGs and Paris Agreement targets.
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The average annual rate of energy efficiency improvement must increase to 3 percent from the current 0.8 percent. Furthermore, the current 2,800 GW of renewable energy can reach up to 8,000 GW of renewable energy by 2030.
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At least 100 countries must set up 100 percent renewable energy-based power sources by 2050. Also, the countries will have to start avoiding setting up new and more coal plants.
Following the outcomes, the UN convened the global roadmap to sustainable energy by 2030 and reportedly called for phasing out coal plants in wealthier countries. UN specifically maintained this must get adopted by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) by 2030. For non-OECD countries, the UN has said to achieve the same by 2040 as many developing countries cannot do it without support. Also, countries needs to keep looking future of energy that can be sustainable.
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