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Charged for change:

The case for renewable energy in climate action

Published on 2 July 2025

Overview

A world powered by renewables is not only possible—it can be more affordable, equitable, and sustainable. But today, the world faces a dual challenge: advancing human well-being while mitigating the environmental consequences of fossil-fuel-driven development.

To truly meet human needs and protect our planet, we need a new path—one that aligns national development goals with a just energy transition that keeps global temperature rise within 1.5°C.

Our new paper explores what this path could look like – how more ambitious renewable energy targets in national climate plans (NDCs), supported the right enabling policies, can deliver measurable benefits for both people and the planet.

Explore our modelled scenarios and data to see what’s possible.

Scenarios

Key Insights

The RA+SDG scenario fosters a powerful cycle of inclusive development and sustainability. By combining renewable energy investments with targeted policies across agriculture, health, education, governance, and infrastructure, it achieves a triple-win—advancing energy access, human development, and climate action. 

 

Explore the Data

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Explore our report here and on UNDP Climate.
Notes

All data is based on IFs version 8.32.

These are illustrative scenarios intended to inform country strategies. The research does not model implementation dynamics, as these will vary based on country-specific contexts.

Energy production data is based on primary energy production data by source.

Suggested citation

Sahadevan, D., Irfan, M. T., Luo, C., Moyer, J. D., Mason, C., & Beynon, E. (2025). Charged for change: The case for renewable energy in climate action. UNDP; Pardee Institute for International Futures; Octopus Energy. 

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