FORUM: “Clean Energy Is the World’s Most Secure Path Forward.” International Day of Clean Energy 2026. Clean energy is reshaping countries, economies and lives faster than anyone expected. Bangladesh has set a global record, electrifying millions of homes powered by off-grid solar, bringing electricity to rural families who waited generations for it. Denmark has shown how wind power can move from experiment to energy infrastructure backbone. The massive purchase by Pakistan of solar panels and batteries has helped the country walk away from natural gas as a strategic fuel. And the ban by Ethiopia on fossil-fuel car imports has sparked a rapid shift to electric vehicles. These projects are proof that clean energy works at scale This is because clean energy now makes economic sense. Today, more than 90 per cent of new renewable power is cheaper than building new fossil fuel plants. Investors see it. Governments see it. Communities feel it. Clean energy is faster to deploy, cheaper to run and more resilient in an increasingly volatile world. It is also creating millions of jobs. About 16.6 million people already work in clean energy worldwide, from manufacturing to installation to innovation. In 2025 alone, global investment in renewables, nuclear, grids, storage, low-emissions fuels, efficiency and electrification hit $2.2 trillion, twice the amount that flowed into oil, gas and coal. For developing economies, this shift offers a powerful opportunity to grow without locking into costly fuel imports or outdated systems. Energy is the engine behind nearly every development goal we care about. Without reliable, affordable energy, progress on poverty, health, education, gender equality, clean water, industry and cities stalls. In fact, an analysis across the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) framework shows that energy underpins roughly two thirds of all SDG targets, with 125 of the 169 SDGs linked to energy, either directly or indirectly. This is why access to clean energy sits at the heart of the 2030 Agenda, and why getting it right accelerates progress across the board. Nowhere is this clearer than with climate change. Energy use produces about three quarters of global greenhouse gas emissions. If we do not transform how we power our homes, factories, transport and cities, there is no credible path to a safe climate. Clean energy is quite simply the solution. Without a rapid and sustained transformation of energy systems, no credible pathway exists to achieve net-zero emissions by mid-century or to meet the temperature goals of the Paris Agreement. There has been real progress. Nearly 92 per cent of people worldwide now have access to electricity. Clean cooking access has also grown, and currently stands at 74 per cent globally, improving health, saving lives and easing the burden on women and girls. These gains show what is possible when ambition meets action. But the gaps remain stark and unacceptable. 666 million people still live without electricity and 2.1 billion rely on dirty fuels to cook, breathing smoke that harms their health every day. At the same time, clean energy investment remains slow and uneven. For example, Africa, which holds some of the world’s best solar resources, receives just 2 per cent of global clean energy finance. Many countries with the greatest need are still left waiting, perpetuating poverty, inequality and health risks while constraining climate action.This carries significant economic risk. To meet global climate goals and deliver energy for all, clean energy investment must more than triple by 2030, and much of it must go to emerging and developing economies. The good news is that momentum is building. Governments are renewing commitments. Global plans are being updated. Clean energy is firmly on the climate agenda. And 2026 will be a defining year, with a major global review of progress on energy access and sustainability. Clean energy is one of the rare solutions that brings people together rather than pulling them apart. It cuts emissions while creating jobs. It strengthens economies while improving health and opportunity. It gives countries more control over their futures, and communities more power over their lives. The International Day of Clean Energy, observed each year on 26 January, is a moment to recognize just how far we have come and how much further we can go. This day is our call to accelerate action, share solutions and build momentum behind a transition that is already underway. The building blocks are in place. The technologies work. The costs are falling. And the evidence, from villages to entire nations, shows that clean energy delivers. What is needed now is the confidence to move faster and the commitment to ensure that no one is left behind. The international community has a decisive role to play in accelerating the build-out of clean energy infrastructure, especially across the developing world, where energy demand is rising fastest and the stakes are highest. By mobilizing concessional finance, de-risking private investment, and transferring technology and technical expertise, developing countries can undertake grid modernization, energy storage and robust renewable projects that will, in turn, expand clean energy access and strengthen economic resilience. If we choose ambition over hesitation, partnership over fragmentation and action over delay, clean energy can become the defining success story of this decade. It can turn global promises into real progress, lighting homes, powering schools, fuelling businesses and protecting the planet we share. A clean energy future is not only possible. It is within reach. The choices we make today, starting now, will determine whether it becomes a reality for everyone. The Sustainable Development Goal 7 (affordable and clean energy) aims to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all by 2030. The IRENA’s World Energy Transitions Outlook calls for a tripling of annual renewable power capacity additions from around 300 gigawatts (GW) to 1000 GW on average until 2030 globally. Let us unite in advancing awareness, innovation, and collaborative efforts to address climate change and ensure a cleaner, greener planet for generations to come. Follow the conversations with the hashtags: #SE4LL, #sdg7, #cleanenergyday, #26January, #renewableenergy, #energytransition, #greenenergy, #smartgrids, #CleanEnergy.
EVENTS: On January 26th, the United Nations will mark the International Day of Clean Energy, representing a significant milestone in our collective commitment to a sustainable future. the UN-energy, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and stakeholders will held a high-level event to mark the International Day of Clean Energy 2026 to showcase the ways to achieve a just and inclusive energy transition. The event will Explore our new Strategic Plan for 2024-2026. This plan will guide our activities over the coming three years and has been designed to address the biggest obstacles to a just and equitable energy transition. the observance will foster cross-disciplinary dialogue and actionable insights to drive the global energy transition. Register to participate!
Starting at 15:00 (CET) Global (live-streamed) -The UEF at 5 is a global live-streamed every celebrating 5 years of the Universal Energy Facility (UEF) and announcing the SOGREA initiative and call for applications; watch the event!
Starting at 11:00 in Lagos (in person) ‘‘Empowering Nigeria's Energy transition’’ an in person panel discussion, photo exhibition and reception on clean cooking, finance and carbon markets coupled with clean energy energy cooking experience exhibition.
Starting from 18:00 - 20:30(CET) in Vienna (in person) ‘‘Empowering solutions Together’’; an in-person panel discussion, photo exhibition and reception on clean cooking, finance and carbon markets.
WEBINARS: Co-hosted by Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL); The webinars brings together researchers, industry leaders, policymakers, and innovators to explore the future of clean, renewable, and transitional energy systems. With a focus on sustainability, innovation, and collaboration.
Get informations on the upcoming webinars!
STATEMENTS: Read the following messages and quotes for this occasion.
Statement of the United Nations Secretary-General on International Day of Clean Energy 2026; January 26th.
On this International Day of Clean Energy, we can feel the world shifting – but we must pick up the pace.
The science tells us we are heading for a temporary overshoot above 1.5 degrees Celsius. Our responsibility is to make that breach as small, as short, and as safe as possible – through a just, orderly and equitable transition away from fossil fuels.
Renewables are the engine that can drive this transition. They are the cheapest source of new power in most places. And last year, for the first time, wind, solar, and other renewables generated more electricity worldwide than coal.
Renewable energy connects communities still left in the dark, provides clean cooking, and opens the door to better health, education, and opportunities. Renewables anchor new industries, create decent jobs and lower energy costs, while shielding countries from geopolitical shocks and market volatility.
Even so, the renewables revolution is not moving fast enough or far enough. Grid infrastructure is lagging well behind the expansion of clean energy capacity, and high costs continue to shut many countries out of the transition entirely.
The roadmap is clear: we must triple global renewable capacity by 2030, by lifting barriers, cutting costs, and connecting clean power to people and industry – with scale, speed, and solidarity.
Regulators must adopt policies that reward clean power and streamline permitting while protecting people and nature. Utilities must upgrade, expand, and digitize grids and interconnections, to carry clean power where it is needed, and scale storage so power systems stay steady as renewables grow. Industry must diversify supply chains so more countries can manufacture, install, and maintain clean energy systems. This includes the critical minerals essential to the transition, which must benefit producing countries and communities – not just global markets.
Finance must bring down the cost of capital, especially for developing countries with vast renewable potential. And multilateral development banks must reduce risk and unlock far greater private investment.
Most importantly, we must ensure this transition is just – protecting workers and communities, supporting education, industrial development, and opportunity for all as energy systems evolve.
A clean energy future is within reach. Let us seize the moment – and bring the renewables revolution to every corner of the world.
António Guterres
Statement of Mr. Achim Steiner, Administrator of the UN Development Programme and Co-Chair of UN-Energy on International Day of Clean Energy 2026; January 26th.
Statement of Mr. Li Junhua, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs and head of the UN-Energy Secretariat on International Day of Clean Energy 2026; January 25th.
STATEMENTS: Read the following messages and quotes for this occasion.
Statement of the United Nations Secretary-General on International Day of Clean Energy 2026; January 26th.
On this International Day of Clean Energy, we can feel the world shifting – but we must pick up the pace.
The science tells us we are heading for a temporary overshoot above 1.5 degrees Celsius. Our responsibility is to make that breach as small, as short, and as safe as possible – through a just, orderly and equitable transition away from fossil fuels.
Renewables are the engine that can drive this transition. They are the cheapest source of new power in most places. And last year, for the first time, wind, solar, and other renewables generated more electricity worldwide than coal.
Renewable energy connects communities still left in the dark, provides clean cooking, and opens the door to better health, education, and opportunities. Renewables anchor new industries, create decent jobs and lower energy costs, while shielding countries from geopolitical shocks and market volatility.
Even so, the renewables revolution is not moving fast enough or far enough. Grid infrastructure is lagging well behind the expansion of clean energy capacity, and high costs continue to shut many countries out of the transition entirely.
The roadmap is clear: we must triple global renewable capacity by 2030, by lifting barriers, cutting costs, and connecting clean power to people and industry – with scale, speed, and solidarity.
Regulators must adopt policies that reward clean power and streamline permitting while protecting people and nature. Utilities must upgrade, expand, and digitize grids and interconnections, to carry clean power where it is needed, and scale storage so power systems stay steady as renewables grow. Industry must diversify supply chains so more countries can manufacture, install, and maintain clean energy systems. This includes the critical minerals essential to the transition, which must benefit producing countries and communities – not just global markets.
Finance must bring down the cost of capital, especially for developing countries with vast renewable potential. And multilateral development banks must reduce risk and unlock far greater private investment.
Most importantly, we must ensure this transition is just – protecting workers and communities, supporting education, industrial development, and opportunity for all as energy systems evolve.
A clean energy future is within reach. Let us seize the moment – and bring the renewables revolution to every corner of the world.
António Guterres
Statement of Mr. Achim Steiner, Administrator of the UN Development Programme and Co-Chair of UN-Energy on International Day of Clean Energy 2026; January 26th.
Statement of Mr. Li Junhua, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs and head of the UN-Energy Secretariat on International Day of Clean Energy 2026; January 25th.
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