The date for the next United Nations Climate Change Conference is approaching once again. This time from November 09 to 20, Turkey (Türkiye) will officially host COP31 in Antalya, following a compromise agreement with Australia. Türkiye will hold the COP presidency (chaired by Murat Kurum), while Australia (represented by Chris Bowen) will serve as the President for negotiations.
The key topics for discussion this time will include: i) Fossil Fuels & Deforestation: Reviewing progress on specific roadmaps tracking the transition away from fossil fuels and halting deforestation;ii) Climate Finance: Addressing post-2020 financial goals and the seventh review of the financial mechanism; and iii) Implementation: Enhancing global action to keep Paris Agreement targets alive and supporting vulnerable regions.
Before the conference, recently International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has released a nice document to assess the current scenario. Compiling a report based on global data takes time. Thus, the report titled, ‘Renewable energy statistics 2026’ presents an updated data on electricity-generation capacity for 2016–2025 and electricity generation for 2016–2024. Let us have a look at it, which will set us to judge the current trend.
Source: IRENA
Glimpses of IRENA’s Findings
Renewable Energy (RE) sources accounted for 31.7% of electricity generation globally in 2024, totalling 9, 836 TeraWatt Hours (TWh). The remaining 68.3% (21, 159 TWh) corresponded to fossil fuels, nuclear energy, pumped storage and other non-renewables, bringing global electricity generation from all sources to 30, 995 TWh in 2024.
Total electricity generation increased by an average of 2.6% per year between 2014 and 2024 (Compound Annual Growth Rate or CAGR). During the same period, renewable electricity expanded at a CAGR of 6.3%, significantly outpacing non-renewable sources, which recorded a CAGR of just 1.3%. In 2024, renewable electricity generation grew by 9.8% over 2023, while non-renewables grew by 1.4% over the same period. Since 2010, the largest growth in renewable electricity has been for solar and wind energy (variable renewables) which, combined, represented 14.9% of the global electricity mix in 2024, having risen by 16.8% compared to 2023, and comprising more than half of the total generation increase.
Views of the People who are Actively involved in RE Promotion
Commenting on the new dataset, IRENA Director-General Francesco La Camera said, “The world is rallying behind electrification as a cornerstone of the energy transition, with renewable electricity as its driving force. Growing support for global electrification reflects a shared recognition that clean electricity strengthens energy security, resilience and competitiveness. This will require renewable electricity generation to expand at an unprecedented pace over the next decade – around 2.5 times today’s level. Technologies are available, the economics are compelling. Now we must swiftly shift from fossil
fuels to clean electricity across buildings, transport and industry.”
Adding to that, Simon Stiell, the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) said, “Every nation at COP30 agreed unanimously that the global transition is now ‘irreversible’ and this new data is powerful new evidence. With renewable power generation clocking its fastest growth ever, the shift to clean energy is charging ahead, because it’s now cheaper, safer and faster-to-market, in stark contrast to this year’s ongoing fossil fuel cost chaos – driving inflation painfully higher for every economy, millions of businesses and billions of households. But despite this vast progress, the shift to clean energy is still far from fast or inclusive enough, and many vulnerable nations need significant support, making full and timely delivery of all climate finance pledges essential.”
Priority and Prominence
IRENA’s communique states that today’s renewable generation data also confirms the dominance of solar and wind power. In absolute terms, Asia led the world in renewable electricity generation in 2024, producing 4, 589 TWh (14.3% increase) driven by all technologies with growth being particularly strong across solar and wind.
Europe produced 1, 758 TWh (up by 7.2%), driven by increases in solar and hydropower. North America generated 1, 535 TWh (5.8% increase), and South America generated 1, 047 TWh (2.9% increase) reflecting increases across all technologies.
Eurasia produced 411 TWh (up by 11.9%). Africa generated 227 TWh (5.7% increase) across all sources except for geothermal energy. Oceania generated 138 TWh (3.4% increase). The Middle East followed with 76 TWh, representing the highest regional growth rate of 17.3%. Lastly, Central America and the Caribbean generated 55 TWh (5.8% increase).
Latest Revised Observations from IRENA
IRENA’s latest statistics include revisions to the 2025 and historical renewable generation capacities reported in March 2026. Total renewable generation capacity in 2025 has been revised upwards by 6 gigawatts (GW) to 5, 155 GW. This increase was driven by upward revisions to solar and bioenergy power plants.
Since 2010, the largest growth in renewable electricity has been for solar and wind energy (variable renewables) which, combined, represented 14.9% of the global electricity mix in 2024…
The revised figures show that at the end of 2025, renewable capacity accounted for 5.2 TW, or 49.5% of the 10.4 TW of global total capacity, including non-renewables. It indicates an unprecedented 15.1% increase from 2024, significantly higher than the 11.9% compound annual growth rate over the preceding five years (from 2019 to 2024). Within renewables, variable renewable capacity grew by 22.3% over 2024 to reach 35.4% of total renewable capacity.
The remaining installed capacity amounts to 5.3 TW (50.5%) of non-renewable power, comprising 4.6 TW (44.5%) of fossil fuels; 407GW (3.9%) of nuclear energy; 160 GW (1.5%) of pumped storage; and 58.7 GW (0.6%) of other non-renewables. The recent trend confirms renewables as the fastest growing capacity source; and illustrates a slowdown in non-renewables and even some significant decommissioning of fossil fuel plants in several countries.
India’s Preparation for COP 31
India’s preparation for COP 31 is based on pushing core negotiating priorities, opposing new unmandated fossil fuel phase-out obligations, and highlighting robust domestic renewable energy targets.
Our country holds that negotiations must continue strictly to agreed-upon mandates. It will resist outside pressures attempting to force unagreed fossil-fuel phase-out obligations into the UNFCCC framework.
India is expected to continue opposing the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) at upcoming climate forums like COP31.
Meanwhile, we have achieved over 52.5% non-fossil fuel capacity ahead of schedule and enhanced our ambition toward a 60% non-fossil share by 2035. Also, our country has updated its goals aiming for a 47% reduction in emissions intensity by 2035 compared to 2005 levels.
By P. K. Chatterjee (PK)
