Clean energy has become an unstoppable force as the global climate crisis gathers pace, and stronger action must be taken immediately, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Wednesday.
Addressing the UN Climate Summit at the UN headquarters in New York, Guterres said that the impacts of the ongoing super El Niño are continuing to intensify.
He called on all countries to expedite the energy transition, expand the use of renewable energy, improve energy efficiency, reduce methane emissions and gradually phase out fossil fuels.
"We are the first generation with the tools to end the fossil fuel age, and the last who can avert climate catastrophe," he said, calling on countries to draw up credible roadmaps with clear timelines to transition away from fossil fuels.
Guterres revealed that in most regions worldwide, renewable energy is the lowest-cost, fastest-to-deploy, and most secure and reliable source of electricity.
Clean energy has evolved from an alternative into an unstoppable force, he said.
On the same day, Guterres launched the Global Grids Accelerator, a new initiative to help accelerate investment in electricity infrastructure across Africa and Southeast Asia and help turn government and regional priorities into investable and operational projects.
Clean energy unstoppable force amid global climate crisis: UN chief
European diesel car owners are collectively shelling out an extra 203 million euros per day as global diesel prices surge, according to a report released on September released on Wednesday by pan-European campaign group Transport and Environment (T&E).
European diesel prices have risen by more than 40 percent since the start of the year, the report said. Diesel truck operators are now paying an average of 236 euros more per week for fuel, while diesel car owners across Europe are collectively shouldering an additional 203 million euros in costs every day.
Diesel prices have been climbing steadily across many European countries in recent weeks. In France and Germany, diesel prices recently broke through the 2.40 euro-per-liter mark, both hitting record highs.
The report attributed the spike in international diesel prices to geopolitical conflicts and disruptions to refined fuel supplies. With nearly 40 percent of all passenger cars in Europe running on diesel, the continent has become the region hardest hit by high diesel prices worldwide.
Over the long term, the report said, the way for Europe to mitigate the impact of high oil prices is to shift its cars from diesel to electric.
T&E noted that as long as Europe's road transport relies on internal combustion engines, the continent will remain dependent on a commodity whose prices are highly volatile and difficult to control. "In the longer-term, electrification would significantly reduce diesel demand."
Surging diesel prices cost Europeans extra 200 million euros daily: report
