Brussels: Europe and the Arab World

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, speaking at the COP30 roundtable on energy transition, said, "Two years ago, we made a very bold promise: to triple renewable energy capacity and double its efficiency." In her remarks, published by the EU institutions in Brussels, she added, "I would like to thank you, President Lula da Silva [of Brazil, the host country of the summit], for this opportunity to assess the situation. I would like to join those who have said that we have good news. We are moving faster than ever towards our goal of tripling renewable energy capacity by 2030 and doubling its efficiency. Solar and wind power have overtaken coal as the largest source of electricity. This year, 95% of new power generation capacity worldwide has come from renewable sources. Renewable energy sources are not only cleaner, but also cheaper. I am very pleased to see countries placing these targets at the heart of their climate plans. Almost half of them have included a renewable energy target in their new Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)." So, we can all say that the clean energy transition is here to stay.

But we must maintain this momentum. That’s why, earlier this year, in collaboration with many of you here at the table, we launched the Global Energy Transition Forum to measure progress. The Forum has grown to include 80 member countries. We launched a process involving three ministerial meetings—in Brussels, South Korea, and New York. In total, more than 110 countries are participating. As we move forward, there are two priorities I’d like to highlight.

First, we must ensure that the benefits of the transition are felt everywhere. Just two numbers: Of the $2 trillion invested in clean energy in 2024, only 2% is earmarked for Africa, a continent with 60% of the world’s best solar energy potential.

We must change this. That’s why, in collaboration with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Global Citizen, we launched a campaign called Scaling Up Renewable Energy in Africa. Our goal, in partnership with the private sector, is to accelerate Africa’s transition to clean energy. This will create jobs in Africa, achieve our global climate goals, and provide electricity to the 600 million people in Africa who currently lack it.

The business sector echoed my second point: infrastructure. We must build electricity grids and storage systems to match our ambitions. Solar and wind power are the fastest-growing sources of electricity worldwide. But we also need the infrastructure to collect energy when it is available and store it when it is needed. The International Energy Agency estimates that we need to increase energy storage sixfold by 2030. That’s why Europe is investing not only in new renewable energy sources but also in the grids and storage systems that make them reliable for everyone. In our Global Energy Gateway investment program, we are investing in infrastructure abroad. At least 25% of the €300 billion allocated is earmarked for power grids and storage systems.

The coming years will be crucial. So let’s continue our work to ensure that the global energy transition delivers results for everyone.