The European Union urged the international community to accelerate the global energy transition, turning commitments into implementation, in a statement delivered on 24 July 2026 at the UN General Assembly Interactive Dialogue on Accelerating the Global Energy Transition. The EU highlighted its own domestic progress and its support for partner countries, particularly in Africa, through the Global Gateway investment strategy.
The statement, delivered on behalf of the EU and its Member States, noted that ten years after the Paris Agreement entered into force, the world remains far from the pace required to keep 1.5°C within reach. It called for delivering on the UAE Consensus, which set targets to triple global renewable energy capacity and double energy efficiency by 2030, and to transition away from fossil fuels in a just, orderly and equitable manner.
The EU pointed to its own ambitious climate and energy legislation, large-scale renewable deployment, energy efficiency measures, and investment in grids, storage and innovation as evidence that climate action, competitiveness and energy security can go hand in hand. The recent energy crisis, the statement said, exposed the vulnerabilities of fossil fuel dependence and accelerated efforts to diversify energy sources and scale up clean, domestically produced energy.
Beyond its borders, the EU committed to supporting partner countries, especially in Africa and fragile contexts. It cited its participation at London Climate Action Week, where it joined forces with the COP31 and COP32 Presidencies and other partners to expand electrification and reduce methane emissions. Through Global Gateway, the EU supports sustainable investments that connect energy with transport, digital, health, education, water, jobs and local value creation, aiming to maximise positive spillovers for communities and ensure the green transition supports poverty reduction, gender equality, climate action and sustainable growth.
The statement concluded with the EU expressing readiness to work with all partners to accelerate progress, calling for a move from intention to implementation, from fragmented efforts to stronger cooperation, and from uneven progress to shared momentum.