President von der Leyen launches Global Energy Transition Forum in Davos

Today in Davos, President von der Leyen launched the Global Energy Transition Forum, together with the Executive Director of the International Energy Agency, Fatih Birol.

At COP28, the world rallied behind the targets of tripling renewable energy and doubling energy efficiency by 2030. The deadline is approaching fast.

The Forum brings together partners from across the world, from Brazil, Canada, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to Kenya, Peru, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and many others, as well as companies and investors, who all share the same objective: maintaining the momentum on the clean energy transition, delivering flagship projects, and unlocking more investment.

No one can be left behind in the global clean energy transition. In her speech, President von der Leyen also highlighted the need for a collective effort to boost Africa’s renewable energy production. Despite holding 60% of the world’s best solar resources and aiming to increase its renewable energy capacity fivefold by 2030, the continent currently gets less than 2% of global clean energy investments.

The President will also tackle this issue at a dinner hosted tonight in Davos, on the theme of the campaign she launched together with President Ramaphosa of South Africa, ‘Scaling up Renewables in Africa.’