Abu Dhabi: 'Irreversible consequences' without immediate climate action, warn officials

The world faces irreversible consequences without collective action on climate change, a top official from the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena) said in Abu Dhabi.

“We are staring into a terrifying abyss of irreversible climate consequences if we fail to act,” Irena Director-General Francesco La Camera said during the two-day council meeting, which started on Thursday.

The biannual two-day meeting, chaired this year by Uruguay, gathers more than 400 delegates from 108 countries to discuss the world’s energy transition ahead of the annual UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) in Egypt.

“The Irena Council meeting comes at a critical point in time and gives the international community an opportunity to strengthen collaboration and bolster the world’s commitment to renewables for climate action ahead of COP27 and COP28,” he said.

Fitzgerald Cantero, the 24th Council Chair and National Director of Energy of Uruguay, noted that Irena must continue to spearhead the penetration of renewable energy around the world.

“The solutions to mitigate energy poverty and the solution to the current energy crisis will come from renewables; and those of us who are already on this path will take further strides in this direction.”

This year’s Council meeting will hold high-level events on pressing energy transition topics including hydrogen, critical materials, agri-food and enabling frameworks for the energy transition in high-risk environments. Council members will also discuss Irena’s medium-term strategy among other relevant matters.

Despite continuous growth in renewable energy capacity over the past decade, Irena views the pace of change inadequate in limiting rising temperatures to 1.5 degrees.

• UN chief, India PM Modi jointly launch climate action program