Why you should care about Clean Energy Day
Today, 26th January 2025, is International Clean Energy Day. This global initiative not only raises awareness of the urgent need to transition from fossil fuels but also calls for inclusive action to adopt clean energy sources, addressing one of the most pressing challenges of our time: climate change.
In this article, I will explore clean energy in the UK, the progress made in reducing fossil fuel use, the sectors still heavily reliant on fossil fuels, and what steps are needed to achieve a sustainable energy future.
What is climate change?
The United Nations describes climate change as “long term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns”. The primary cause of this shift is human activities such as burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and industrial processes. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), human influence has unequivocally warmed the atmosphere, ocean, and land, with severe implications for all living systems. These activities release greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane into the atmosphere, trapping heat and leading to global warming.
Pre-industrial era is generally considered to be when the Earth’s greenhouse effect was working as it should be and is the baseline for understanding what climate should look like under a balanced greenhouse effect. According to Climate.gov, Earth’s temperature has risen by an average of 0.06oC per decade since 1850, with the rate of warming since 1982 being more than three times as fast, at 0.20oC per decade. The consequences of climate change are far-reaching and effects like rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and disruptions to ecosystems and food systems are all a result of an unbalanced climate.
When did clean energy emerge in the UK?
Clean energy became a focus in the UK during the late 20th century, but it wasn’t until the early 2000s that significant progress started. The UK’s Renewable Energy Directive of 2009, as part of the European Union’s framework, set binding targets for renewable energy use. The Climate Change Act of 2008 also established the UK’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80% by 2050 compared to 1990 levels. These policies were a pivotal moment in advancing clean energy technologies like wind, solar, and hydropower.
Progress in reducing fossil fuel use
The UK has been making concerted efforts to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels. Coal, for example, once the backbone of the country’s energy supply, has been largely phased out. According to the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, by Q3 2024, coal accounted for just 0.5% of electricity generation, compared to 40% a decade earlier. Wind energy has become the dominant source of non-hydro renewable electricity, generating over 2,100TWh in 2022, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). Offshore wind capacity is growing significantly and because of its long coastlines, shallow waters, and strong winds, the UK is one of the global leaders in wind power, reports GreenMatch.
Moreover, government initiatives such as the Net Zero Strategy aim to phase out petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030, further reducing fossil fuel reliance. Yet, despite this progress, the IEA warns that global fossil fuel consumption must decline by 75% by 2050 to meet climate goals, meaning that more action is required.
Worst areas for fossil fuel dependence
Certain sectors are still heavily reliant on fossil fuels and these areas remain a challenge for the clean energy transition. Globally, transportation is now the second-largest source of global emissions – generated by land, air, and sea. According to Statista, emissions from this sector have nearly doubled since 1990 and are expected to continue to rise unless changes are implemented. The aviation and shipping industries are particularly problematic, with limited scalable alternatives to fossil fuels currently available. In the UK, domestic heating remains a significant source of emissions, as natural gas still powers over 80% of homes.
Developing nations face additional hurdles due to a lack of infrastructure and financial resources for transitioning to renewable energy. The United Nations reports that in 2022, 10 million more people were living without electricity, reversing years of progress and highlighting the disparities in clean energy access.
An ongoing challenge
The US, historically one of the largest contributors to global greenhouse gas emissions, has seen a recent resurgence in fossil fuel use, particularly with the approval of new oil and gas projects. According to data from the IEA, increased fossil fuel production and consumption in the US could influence global efforts to transition away from coal and other fossil fuels. As the world's largest economy, the US's energy policies play a significant role in shaping international climate agreements and progress toward renewable energy adoption.
What still needs to be done?
The clean energy transition needs urgent action across multiple fronts. First, governments must implement stronger policies and financial incentives to make renewable energy more accessible and affordable. For businesses, a sustainable shift will inevitably need to be economically viable. The United Nations’ clean energy goals underscore the dual challenge of ensuring universal energy access while protecting the planet. Meeting these objectives requires investment in technologies such as energy storage, hydrogen fuel, and advanced nuclear reactors.
Second, addressing energy poverty is critical. The UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG#7) aims to achieve affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all by 2030. However, the latest report indicates the world is not on track to meet this target, with energy access declining in vulnerable regions. Bridging this gap means that coordinated international efforts, including financing for renewable energy projects in developing nations, needs to be addressed.
Finally, individual and collective efforts to reduce energy consumption and improve energy efficiency are essential. Not only encouraging behavioural shifts but incentivising them – because, much like businesses need to see an economic return on investment so too do people need to see a tangible result from making better choices.
International Clean Energy Day is here to remind us of the urgent need to transition to renewable energy sources. While progress has been made, particularly in reducing fossil fuel use in the UK, there are still many challenges in the road ahead. Addressing these challenges requires global collaboration, innovation, and a commitment to ensuring that clean energy benefits everyone. As the United Nations states, achieving sustainable energy for all is not just an environmental imperative but also a moral and social one. Climate change impacts everyone and the choices that we make today will shape the world we leave behind.