A breach of the 1.5°C global warming threshold is now inevitable, but the world still has the power to determine how high temperatures rise and how long they remain above that limit, United Nations secretary general Antonio Guterres said on Wednesday, calling for global emissions to fall around 6% every year and a much faster transition away from fossil fuels.
He also called for faster investment in electricity grids and storage, pointing out that around 3,000 GW of renewable energy and storage projects were awaiting grid connections. Experts say India has already surpassed its target of 50% installed power capacity from non-fossil sources by 2030, reaching 54% by July this year, stating its focus should be more on securing the capital needed to make this capacity work seamlessly. Around 90 GwH of battery storage has already been awarded. Integrating 500 GW of non-fossil power by 2030, and cutting coal dependence further, will need close to 20,000 circuit kms of new transmission lines a year.
Most also pay two to three times more to borrow, making the transition considerably more expensive, he said. Guterres meanwhile said three quarters of humanity currently live in countries that import fossil fuels — making them vulnerable to price shocks they cannot control. Developing countries like India would rather that COP31 direct its energy into financing that build-out than into another voluntary target it has already met and surpassed,” he said.
Guterres also argued for climate justice, pointing out that emerging and developing economies outside China account for nearly two-thirds of humanity but receive less than one-fifth of global clean-energy investment. India’s position so far has been that the pace of electrification and the energy transition must account for national circumstances, the cost and availability of capital, supporting infrastructure and access to technology. The country has also emphasised the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities. “That is why India’s attention now is less on new pledges, and more on the capital needed to make this capacity work seamlessly.
