IEA chief pleads for ’real global action’ on climate

As head of the organisation that advises countries on energy policy, Fatih Birol has a blunt message to governments ahead of a crucial climate summit: He wants "real global action", not just words.

"I want to see a plan," Birol, the executive director of the International Energy Agency, told AFP. In an interview, he discussed his hopes for the two-week COP26 meeting that will be held in Scotland from October 31.

"There are three major outcomes I hope to see. The first one is: when we look at the countries today, who made commitments for net zero (emissions) by 2050, even if those commitments were to be fulfilled, we are far from reaching our climate goals. Therefore I would hope to see a reinforcement of those commitments.

"Number two, and for me it's the fault line of the entire climate debate, it is financing clean energy investments in emerging countries. More than 80 percent of the emissions in the next 20 years will come from emerging countries, and only less than 20 percent of the clean energy investments go to emerging countries. It is the reason why it's urgent that the advanced economies, including the G20 countries, should make sure that the financing of clean energy investments in emerging countries are one of the key outcomes coming from COP26 meeting.

"The third one is a political one. The government leaders attending the COP meeting should give an unmistakable signal to the investors around the world saying 'you investors if you invest in the old energy sources, you are going to risk losing money. Because we are determined as the governments of this world to bring the world in a clean energy future'."

"There's an excellent political momentum around the world from China to the United States, from Europe to...