International Clean Energy Day 2025: Moving the world in a sustainable way

Clean energy is on a mission to safeguard the planet while making sure no one gets left behind. Today we talk about the importance of International Clean Energy Day 2025.

The year 2024 broke several global records. Preliminary estimates suggest that a historic milestone of 530 gigawatts (GW) of new renewable energy capacity was achieved, surpassing the 473 GW added in 2023. However, 2024 also marked the hottest year ever recorded.

Amid a volatile global landscape, nations, businesses, and communities continue to prioritize renewable energy as the only viable path to avert climate catastrophe and promote sustainable development.

Although significant progress is needed to meet the targets of Agenda 2030, today, 26 January, International Clean Energy Day, serves as an opportunity to be optimistic and envision a future free from fossil fuels.

This article covers the following topics:

The origins of International Clean Energy Day 2025

International Clean Energy Day was instituted by the United Nations General Assembly, officially designated on January 26 through resolution A/77/327. The primary objective of this day is to raise awareness and galvanize efforts toward a transition to clean energy. The chosen date holds significance as it marks the founding anniversary of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), acclaimed for its pivotal role in expediting the shift to the sustainable utilization of renewable energy.

It is crucial to distinguish International Clean Energy Day from World Energy Day, observed every February 14. The latter focuses on advocating for universal access to energy and the promotion of renewable energy sources.

What do we mean by clean energy?

Clean energy encompasses energy sources with minimal environmental impact, emitting negligible greenhouse gases throughout their production and usage. In contrast to conventional energy sources like fossil fuels, clean energy is recognized for its environmentally friendly attributes.

This category includes both renewable and non-renewable energies, such as nuclear power:

Solar energy: Derived from sunlight, available in photovoltaic or solar thermal forms.
Wind energy: Generated by converting wind into electricity using wind turbines.
Hydroelectric power: Harnessed from the movement of water, such as river currents or waterfalls.
Geothermal energy: Sourced from heat stored beneath the earth's surface.
Biomass energy: Created from organic matter, including plants and animal waste.
Ocean energy: Encompasses both tidal energy (generated by tides) and wave energy.
Nuclear energy: While nuclear energy may be considered clean in terms of carbon emissions, its inclusion in this list can be controversial due to the radioactive waste it produces. In this article, we already addressed the environmental impacts of nuclear energy.

Why clean energy is important for the sustainability of the planet

Clean energy is pivotal for the planet's sustainability as it mitigates greenhouse gas emissions, the primary culprits behind global warming.

However, renewable energy is even more important. While all forms of renewable energy are inherently clean, not all clean energy sources are renewable. Take nuclear power, for instance; it's classified as clean due to its lack of greenhouse gas emissions but is non-renewable, relying on uranium, a finite resource.

Renewable energy, on the contrary, originates from sources that naturally replenish in a short time frame and never run out. These sources encompass the sun, wind, water, and biomass. By harnessing these energies, we can diminish our reliance on fossil fuels, which are both exhaustible and environmentally detrimental, contributing to air pollution and climate change.

Renewable energies open avenues to provide electricity and essential services to regions where it would otherwise be impossible, elevating living conditions for numerous communities. The documentary series, “Let there Be Light,” vividly recounts the journey of a volunteer bringing clean energy to the Peruvian Amazon and the positive transformations experienced by populations in remote and challenging-to-access areas. To witness how the presence of small solar panels can profoundly alter lives in the jungle, you can watch it here.

In addition, renewable energies have another advantage that often goes unnoticed and which we have already mentioned in this article, they are easily reversible at the end of their useful life.

Why clean energy matters for people and the global economy

The interconnection among clean energy, socioeconomic development, and environmental sustainability is paramount in tackling the challenges faced by vulnerable communities globally:

Environmental protection: With zero greenhouse gas emissions during both production and usage, clean energy plays a pivotal role in combating climate change.
Security of electricity supply: A heightened reliance on renewable energies in the energy generation matrix can enhance the security of electricity supply, reducing dependence on volatile fossil fuel imports.
Economic growth and job creation: Global investment in clean technologies saw a remarkable 50% increase in 2023, totaling $235 billion. This boom accounted for nearly 10% of investment growth across the global economy, largely concentrated in battery and solar panel manufacturing, which together captured four-fifths of this investment. This dynamism also translates into job creation, as the energy transition is expected to generate 122 million jobs by 2050, many of them directly linked to renewable energy.
Universal access to secure and affordable energy services: Clean energy not only helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions but also has the potential to transform the lives of communities that currently lack access to reliable electricity. Approximately 685 million people live without access to electricity, with more than 80% of them in sub-Saharan Africa. Sustainable energy solutions can play a key role in improving their quality of life and supporting their development. According to IRENA’s World Energy Transitions Outlook, the global adoption of renewable energy remains highly unequal by geographic region. While developed countries account for 85% of installed capacity, Africa accounts for only 1.6%. This inequality was one of the most prominent issues raised during COP29, where the need to address these disparities was emphasized as an integral part of the fight against climate change.
Resilience to price volatility: Renewable energy can assist countries in building resilience to price fluctuations and lowering overall energy costs.

In short, International Clean Energy Day is not simply a celebration, but a call to action for governments, industries, and organizations around the world. This day underscores the pressing need for a worldwide shift toward cleaner, more sustainable energy sources. Progress demands a harmonious alignment of policy, innovation, and investment to confront the shared challenge of climate change. The fate of our planet hinges on our collective ability to redefine how we generate and utilize energy.