While renewable energy is expanding rapidly, it is not growing fast enough to meet the targets set for 2030, the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena) has said.
Capacity needs to grow by at least 16.4 per cent annually until 2030 to achieve the tripling target pledged at the Cop28 climate conference in Dubai last year, the Abu Dhabi-based agency said in a report on Thursday.
During the UN summit, more than 110 countries committed to work together to triple the world’s current renewable energy generation capacity to at least 11,000 gigawatts by the end of the decade, taking into consideration the “different starting points and national circumstances”.
The pledge is considered key to limiting global warming to 1.5°C and avoiding its most disastrous effects.
Renewable energy capacity increased by an “unprecedented” 14 per cent last year, but even at that rate the world will still fall short of the target by 1.5 terawatts, Irena said.
Meanwhile, if the world maintains the historical annual growth rate of 10 per cent, renewable energy capacity will only reach 7.5 terawatts by 2030, falling short of the goal by nearly one third, the agency added.
“Renewable energy has been increasingly outperforming fossil fuels but it is not the time to be complacent,” said Francesco La Camera, Irena director general.
“If we continue with the current growth rate, we will only face failure in reaching the tripling renewables target … consequently risking the goals of the Paris Agreement."
Most of the recent growth in renewable energy has been driven by China, the EU and the US.
Meanwhile, many developing countries have fallen behind in clean-energy investment because they lack adequate funding and infrastructure.
Accelerating renewable energy adoption would require overcoming certain “structural barriers”, Mr La Camera told The National in an interview in January.
“We need to overcome barriers [such as] infrastructure, grids, the legal environment, the market design, additional capacity, a skilled labour force … and also linking the idea of development to the idea of building the new energy system,” he said.
By 2030, emerging markets and developing economies will require $2.4 trillion every year to address climate change, according to the Climate Policy Initiative.
Deloitte estimates an investment of $5 trillion to $7 trillion a year is needed until 2050 in the energy sector to drive the transition, however, less than $2 trillion is currently being spent annually.
“Governments need to set explicit renewable-energy targets, look at actions like accelerating permitting and expanding grid connections, and implement smart policies that push industries to step up and incentivise the private sector to invest,” said Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, who also served as Cop28 President.
“Additionally, this moment provides a significant opportunity to add strong national energy targets in nationally determined contributions to support the global goal of keeping the 1.5°C target within reach."
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
Four tips to secure IoT networks
Mohammed Abukhater, vice president at FireEye in the Middle East, said:
- Keep device software up-to-date. Most come with basic operating system, so users should ensure that they always have the latest version
- Besides a strong password, use two-step authentication. There should be a second log-in step like adding a code sent to your mobile number
- Usually smart devices come with many unnecessary features. Users should lock those features that are not required or used frequently
- Always create a different guest network for visitors
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
What is Reform?
Reform is a right-wing, populist party led by Nigel Farage, a former MEP who won a seat in the House of Commons last year at his eighth attempt and a prominent figure in the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union.
It was founded in 2018 and originally called the Brexit Party.
Many of its members previously belonged to UKIP or the mainstream Conservatives.
After Brexit took place, the party focused on the reformation of British democracy.
Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson became its first MP after defecting in March 2024.
The party gained support from Elon Musk, and had hoped the tech billionaire would make a £100m donation. However, Mr Musk changed his mind and called for Mr Farage to step down as leader in a row involving the US tycoon's support for far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson who is in prison for contempt of court.
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
