Published on: 2026-07-14
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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14 July 2026 Sustainable Development Goals
According to a new report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), in 2024 global electricity production from renewable sources increased by 9.8 percent, while production from non-renewable sources grew by only 1.4 percent. Overall, in 2024, renewable sources accounted for 31.7 percent of all electricity produced worldwide.
Ahead of the 31st UN Climate Change Conference (COP-31), Turkey, which will chair the meeting, announced a global goal to increase the share of electricity in final energy consumption to 35 percent.
According to IRENA, to achieve this goal, the share of renewable energy sources in global electricity production must increase from 31.7 percent in 2024 to 78 percent in 2035, which is approximately 2.5 times higher than the current level.
Energy Security
“The world is uniting around electrification as the foundation of the energy transition, driven by electricity from renewable sources,” said IRENA Director-General Francesco La Camera.
According to him, clean electricity strengthens energy security, resilience, and competitiveness. To achieve this, an unprecedented expansion of electricity generation from renewable sources and a rapid transition from fossil fuels to clean energy in buildings, transportation, and industry will be required over the next decade.
The Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, Simon Stiell, noted that the new data confirms the irreversibility of the global energy transition.
“The transition to clean energy is gaining momentum because today it is cheaper, safer, and brought to market faster,” he said. However, Steele emphasized that this process is still not fast enough and does not cover everyone, and many vulnerable countries need significant support. Therefore, it is necessary to timely and fully fulfill all commitments on climate financing.
Regional indicators
Asia became the largest producer of electricity from renewable sources in 2024, generating 4589 terawatt-hours, which is 14.3 percent more than the previous year. Particularly significant growth was noted in solar and wind energy.
In Europe, production reached 1,758 terawatt-hours, increasing by 7.2 percent due to the development of solar and hydropower. In North America, the figure rose by 5.8 percent to 1,535 terawatt-hours, and in South America by 2.9 percent to 1,047 terawatt-hours.
The highest growth rates among regions were recorded in the Middle East – 17.3 percent. However, the total production there amounted to only 76 terawatt-hours.
The report also notes that in 2025, a record 693 gigawatts of new renewable energy capacity were added worldwide. According to revised data, by the end of 2025, the installed capacity of renewable energy reached 5.2 terawatts, accounting for 49.5 percent of the global total.
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