During a roundtable conversation at the COP29 summit held in Baku, UN Secretary-General António Guterres participated in a significant discussion. PHOTO/UNFCCC/Kiara Worth. MAIN POINTS. The Secretary-General of the UN emphasizes the need for openness, responsibility, and equity in the shift towards sustainable energy. In the previous year, investments in grids and renewable energy surpassed those in fossil fuels. Mr. Guterres highlighted that the shift from fossil fuels to renewables aligns with the suggestions from his Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals. The UN Secretary-General emphasized the need to follow the guidance of the High-Level Expert Advisory Group to expedite progress on important economic matters, such as equitable distribution of benefits, enhancing value, and promoting fair trade. UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized the importance of transparency, accountability, and fairness during the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy. He cautioned that this energy transition could lead to a “stampede of greed” potentially undermining the aspirations of the impoverished. During a roundtable discussion, he urged participants to reflect on the work of his Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals. “Our aim is to address a significant challenge: directing the energy transition toward justice,” the UN chief stated. The panel, established last year at COP28 in the UAE, seeks to unite governments, international organizations, industry, and civil society to formulate common voluntary principles for the extractive industries, emphasizing justice and sustainability. In Baku, where he led the panel discussion, Guterres remarked on the swift advancement of the renewable energy movement. For the first time last year, investments in grids and renewable energy exceeded those in fossil fuels, highlighting previous errors and the urgency to secure resources. Mr. Guterres stated that the demand for essential minerals needed for the energy transition is anticipated to increase significantly, as governments are set to triple global renewable energy capacity by 2030, as they have committed to, while also moving away from fossil fuels. He emphasized that for developing countries abundant in these resources, this presents a substantial opportunity to foster prosperity, eradicate poverty, and promote sustainable development. “However, this is frequently not the situation,” he cautioned, further stating: “We often witness past errors recurring in a rush driven by greed that harms the impoverished.” In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, children are employed at a mining site in South Kivu.
