Baku: ‘Energy transition is not only a climate imperative, but also an economic and strategic necessity,’ said Francesco La Camera, Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), in his remarks delivered at the opening ceremony of Baku Climate Action Week 2026. La Camera emphasized the significance of transitioning to renewable energy as a multifaceted imperative that transcends environmental concerns to encompass economic and strategic dimensions.
According to Azerbaijan State News Agency, La Camera highlighted how recent events in the Middle East have underscored the vulnerability of global economies, industries, and households to disruptions in energy markets. He stressed that the energy transition extends beyond merely increasing renewable energy capacity. It also involves pivotal investments in power grids, energy storage systems, digitalization, and system flexibility to construct more resilient, flexible, and secure energy systems.
In 2025, global renewable energy capacity experienced an unprecedented increase of 692 gigawatts. By the end of that year, renewable energy constituted 49 percent of the global installed power capacity and 85 percent of newly added capacity. IRENA’s latest analysis revealed that the existing renewable energy capacity in 2025 helped avert $480 billion in annual fossil fuel costs and prevented 8.4 billion tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
La Camera urged the global community to prioritize the tripling of renewable capacity by 2030, doubling energy-efficiency improvements, and accelerating investments in grids, storage, and sustainable fuels. He reiterated that the primary challenge lies in transforming global commitments into tangible changes in energy production, transmission, and consumption. IRENA remains dedicated to expediting the shift away from fossil fuels, aiming for a sustainable energy future.