IRENA chief calls for cooperation in global energy transition

Director-general of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) Francesco La Camera on Thursday praised China's contributions to the global energy transition and called for international cooperation to overcome barriers.

He made the remarks on the sidelines of the 2025 International Forum on Energy Transition, which is underway in Suzhou City, east China's Jiangsu Province, from Thursday to Saturday.

"We are assisting, year after year, a new record of renewable capacity. Last year, over 500 gigawatts of renewable capacity had been added. This means that more than 90 percent of new power capacity was renewable, and China is the 40 percent of it," Camera told China Global Television Network (CGTN). He outlined three structural barriers for energy transition that require more international cooperation.

""First, we have to say that the transition is there, is happening and is unstoppable. No one can reverse it, no one. This will continue happening. But for having the speed, the scale that we need, we need to overcome three structural barriers. One is the infrastructure, the grid. We need the grid that is interconnected, flexible and balanced. The other one is the legal environment. The legal environment should be conducive. The market is still designed more for fossil fuels, not for renewables. So the legal environment should be improved. And also we need to enhance the capacity of institutions to deal with the new system that is coming, because a renewable-based system, the centralized system, is much better for the environment, is much better for the energy security because there are many actors in the market," said the official.

IRENA chief calls for cooperation in global energy transition

The first batch of the 6th Chinese Peacekeeping Military Utility Helicopter Unit to the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) left China on Tuesday for a year-long mission in Abyei.

The unit, comprising elite service members from an army brigade under the Chinese PLA 82nd Group Army in the Central Theater Command, will undertake tasks such as cargo transportation, aerial patrols, and search-and-rescue operations.

Prior to their departure from the Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport in north China's Hebei Province, the peacekeepers underwent intensive trainings on driving, health service support, and equipment maintenance. They were also trained on such core capabilities as aviation rescue, rapid take-off and landing, and emergency search operations.

"This is the third time our brigade has carried out such an international peacekeeping mission. We are fully prepared in mindset, action and capability," said Zhao Hui, a member of the unit.

The 2nd batch of the peacekeeping unit will arrive at the mission area in middle January as scheduled.

6th Chinese peacekeeping helicopter unit sets off for Abyei