WWEA at COP30:
WWEA Events at the UNFCCC Climate Change Conference COP30 in Belem:
Official COP30 Side Event:
Driving Climate Mitigation Action Through Renewable Energy Solutions: Lessons from the Global South
11 November 2025, 18:30-20:00, Room: Side Event Room 8
Renewables are essential, but adoption remains slow. This session brings together global and regional actors to present renewable energy projects from the Global South with a bottom-up approach, contributing to climate goals, to improve energy access, to achieve ultimately the 100% renewable energy aim, and deliver concrete social benefits.
The side event is hosted in collaboration with the World Bioenergy Association, the Regional Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (RCREEE), and the Indian Biogas Association.
Building the Energy Systems of the Future: Bottom-Up Approaches in the Global South
13 November 2025, 10:00-11:00, WGEO Pavilion
Background
Solar and wind energy continue to lead the global shift toward renewable power, accounting for more than 96 percent of all new renewable capacity added in 2024. Falling technology costs, supportive government policies, and growing investor confidence have made renewables the driving force behind energy expansion worldwide.
Yet, the pace and pattern of this growth vary widely across regions and technologies. Countries like Pakistan, which has already met its COP28 goal of tripling renewable capacity through distributed solar, show remarkable progress, but also highlight a key question: how can this transformation ensure benefits reach people and communities directly?
If the transition remains focused only on capacity additions, many developing economies could end up with energy systems that are renewable in name but still limited in diversity, inclusivity, and community participation. Such systems may reduce emissions but fall short of building the economic depth, resilience, and shared prosperity that true transformation requires. For the systems that can power industry, generate decent jobs, and build stronger communities, progress continues to face barriers such as centralized planning, reliance on imported equipment, weak grid networks, and a lack of affordable finance. These are structural challenges that cannot be solved by top-down approaches alone.
In Focus
This session will explore how locally driven approaches are unlocking the next wave of renewable energy across the Global South—building local industries, integrating value chains, and shaping context-driven policies. Drawing lessons from Pakistan, Brazil, Latin America, and Southeast Asia, it will highlight strategies for community empowerment, inclusive markets, and mobilizing local and blended finance.
Panelists:
- Luiz Justino, UFOB/WWEA
- Shantanu Srivastava, IEEFA
- Muhammad Basit Ghauri, Renewables First
- Wilmar Suarez, EMBER
Moderator: Jasper Haoran Zhang, GF60