Countries would not face a surge in fossil fuel prices if the world had been actively investing in renewable energy sources over the past two decades, UN Secretary General António Guterres said in a recent interview.
Most European countries, against the backdrop of record high prices for electricity and gas, are returning to using coal and fuel oil to generate electricity.
In particular, German company Uniper said earlier that it was launching a backup coal-fired thermal power plant from the end of August to provide sufficient electricity in Germany in the winter.
In response to a question about whether it worries that by having lost Russian gas, European countries began to use coal and fossil fuels, Guterres emphasized the importance of developing green energy.
“One thing is clear: if the world had actively invested in the last two decades, as it should, in renewable energy sources, we would not be facing a significant increase in fossil fuel prices now,” he noted.
According to the UN official, fossil fuels are “not the future, but the past.” “And only with the help of the Green Revolution, with a strong stake on renewable energy, can we solve all these problems,” he added.
After the start of the war in Ukraine back in February, Western countries have also increased sanctions and pressure on Russia, which led to an increase in electricity prices, fuel, and food in Europe and the US.