New report highlights renewable energy progress, potential and challenges

03 December 2023
The logos for the international renewable energy agency and irena.

Dubai (United Arab Emirates) – The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and World Meteorological Organization (WMO) have released their first joint report to strengthen  understanding of renewable energy resources and their intricate relationship with climate variability and change.  It seeks to inform policy-making and hasten the transition away from polluting fossil fuels and towards a cleaner, greener future.

Key messages
  • Solar and wind power boost renewables boom
  • More action needed to speed transition from fossil fuels
  • Improved weather and climate services are vital for renewable energy
  • Climate variability and change impact renewable energy supply and demand

The report, 2022 Year in review: Climate-driven Global Renewable Energy Potential Resources and Energy Demand, launched at COP28 in Dubai today, highlights the key role of weather and climate information and services in meeting the untapped potential and challenges in the transition to renewable energy.

Renewables now dominate new sources of supply. In 2022 alone, 83% of new capacity was renewable, with solar and wind accounting for most additions. Such an increase is key to achieving decarbonized energy systems by 2050, with an accompanying steep and decisive decline of fossil fuel consumption, according to the report, “2022 Year in review: Climate-driven Global Renewable Energy Potential Resources and Energy Demand”.

The global total installed capacity of renewable power, and its share in the electricity grid, has been steadily increasing over the past two decades. Today, some 30% of power generation globally is renewable, due to rapid deployment in the past decade, according to the report.

It provides a much-needed glimmer of hope.

“Renewable energy, primarily driven by the dynamic forces of solar, wind and water cycle, has surged to the forefront of our global power generation. This transition is a powerful catalyst for mitigating climate change, safeguarding our planet, and ensuring a prosperous future for generations to come,” said WMO Secretary-General Prof. Petteri Taalas.

But the report stresses that more decisive actions are needed to speed the exit from fossil fuels. And more needs to be done to increase the climate resilience of renewable energy operations, management, planning and investment.

IRENA Director-General Francesco La Camera said: “Renewables are critical to achieving a successful energy transition and are a powerful catalyst for mitigating climate change. To stay on the 1.5°C climate pathway, global renewable capacity must triple by 2030. It is also essential that policy makers proactively future-proof energy infrastructure and assets, to account for the impacts of climate change and resulting growing demand.”

The report provides insights on the links between renewable energy resources and weather and climate conditions. It highlights the importance of understanding how changes in weather patterns could impact the potential capacity of wind, solar and hydropower. The analysis also shows how climate change will impact energy supply and demand, particularly in the context of heating and cooling.

The assessment is an initial step towards a more rigorous evaluation on the role of climate on Renewable Energy supply and demand. Such information can be used both as a retrospective analysis and to aid future decision-making. Ultimately, policy makers, energy planners and resource managers, as well as grid operators, will need comprehensive data and analysis to fully understand the magnitude and patterns of observed variations in resources and demand, says the report.

An image of wind turbines and a pond.

Key insights

  • Renewable energy sources are greatly impacted by natural climate variability. For instance, the seasonal and annual fluctuations for wind power for many countries can be as much as 15%, whereas it is lower for solar power.
  • Improving our understanding of climate drivers and their interactions with renewable resources is vital for resilience and efficiency of the energy transitions and systems.  It is critical to consider key climate drivers such as the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) as these normally explain a large portion of the observed variability; accurately predicting them allows to manage energy resources in a more efficient way than without their knowledge.
  • Mainstreaming climate into operation, management and planning of energy resources should be a priority. This could lead to the establishment of Early Warning Systems to help better manage energy load, resources, and maintenance. Moreover, this can inform energy infrastructure modernization and expansion and trigger the necessary innovation across technologies, markets, and policies.
  • Adapting market structures is central to providing the necessary flexibility during the transitional phase from centralized to decentralized power systems.  A “dual procurement” system can be an effective avenue in this regard.
  • Developing countries can adapt their systems to harness renewable potential with the benefit of knowledge on climate variability.  For instance, Africa accounts for only 2% of global capacity, despite its abundant potential and huge benefits for socio-economic development.
  • Comprehensive and systematic energy data collection and sharing are essential to improving knowledge and understanding of climate variability and change on energy supply and demand.


IRENA and the WMO have worked closely together to outline for policy makers, energy planners, resource managers and grid operators alike, the intricate connections of energy indicators at the global and regional levels, aim to provide valuable insights into the role of climate in renewable energy supply and demand.

The report is the first in a regular annual series as the two organizations strengthen their collaboration in support of climate action.

Notes to Editors

About the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)

IRENA is the lead intergovernmental agency for the global energy transformation that supports countries in their transition to a sustainable energy future and serves as the principal platform for international co-operation, a centre of excellence, and a repository of policy, technology, resource and financial knowledge on renewable energy. With 168 Members (167 States and the European Union) and 16 additional countries in the accession process and actively engaged, IRENA promotes the widespread adoption and sustainable use of all forms of renewable energy in the pursuit of sustainable development, energy access, energy security and low-carbon economic growth and prosperity.

For further information contact: Nicole Bockstaller, Communications Officer, IRENA ; +971 2 41 79 951

About the World Meteorological Organization (WMO)

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for promoting international cooperation in atmospheric science and meteorology.

WMO monitors weather, climate, and water resources and provides support to its Members in forecasting and disaster mitigation. The organization is committed to advancing scientific knowledge and improving public safety and well-being through its work. For more information, visit wmo.int

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for promoting international cooperation in atmospheric science and meteorology.

WMO monitors weather, climate, and water resources and provides support to its Members in forecasting and disaster mitigation. The organization is committed to advancing scientific knowledge and improving public safety and well-being through its work.

For further information, please contact:

  • Clare Nullis WMO media officer cnullis@wmo.int +41 79 709 13 97
  • WMO Strategic Communication Office Media Contact media@wmo.int
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