December 22
The COP 28 Agreement has underscored the imperative for global action to combat climate change, calling on Parties to triple renewable energy capacity and double energy efficiency improvements by 2030 in order to create a safe and sound environment.
More than 100 countries, including major players such as the European Union, the United States, and the UAE, which hosts COP 28, have rallied for support to enact this ambitious plan. The proposal aims to accelerate the global transition to sustainable energy sources, garnering widespread backing from numerous nations.
Emphasizing a just and orderly transition, the UN Climate Change News on 13 December highlighted additional measures, including efforts to phase down unabated coal power and eliminate inefficient fossil fuel subsidies. Developed countries are expected to lead these efforts, ensuring an equitable shift away from fossil fuels in energy systems.
Renewable energy encompasses various sources such as hydropower, solar power, wind power, bio-power, and geo-power. Notably, these sources have minimal environmental impact, garnering support not only from governments but also from scientists and technicians eager to harness their potential. With global concerns over soaring fossil fuel prices and the economic ramifications of high fuel costs, governments worldwide are increasingly viewing renewable energy as a crucial opportunity.
Fossil fuels, particularly coal, remain a significant contributor to global warming, responsible for over 36 per cent of electricity generation worldwide. Acknowledging this, nations heavily reliant on fossil fuels are now endorsing the transition to renewable energy sources. Several countries, including Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Brazil, New Zealand, Denmark, Austria, Switzerland, and Finland, have emerged as leaders in adopting renewable energy, gradually reducing their dependence on conventional fossil fuels.
As global energy consumption continues to escalate annually, the International Energy Agency (IEA) predicted in a report last year that renewable energy would surpass coal as the primary resource for electricity generation worldwide by early 2025. The report mentioned that generating electricity using renewable energy would increase by 2,400 GW across the world from 2022 to 2027. So, such a volume of energy would be equal to the total electricity generated from solar power, wind power and other sources of renewable energy in the last two decades.
Fossil fuels, requiring millions of years for formation, present a finite and environmentally hazardous energy source. As adopting renewable energy is seen as a pivotal step toward creating a safer and more sustainable world, free from the risks associated with fossil fuel dependence, Myanmar must seek the best way to generate electricity from renewable energy as much as possible. GNLM
