European Commission and South Africa launch the Scaling up Renewables

In Rio de Janeiro, on the eve of the G20 Summit, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa launched the global campaign ‘Scaling up Renewables in Africa' during Global Citizen NOW.

COP28 had set the ambitious target of tripling renewable energy and doubling energy efficiency worldwide. To achieve these goals, substantial investments will be necessary across the world. The campaign is meant to mobilise investments into renewables in Africa, to tap into its enormous potential.

And to keep the momentum more broadly towards these targets, President von der Leyen will invite G20 leaders and other leaders to join forces in a new Global Energy Transition Forum. This will bring together governments, international organisations and financial actors to double down on implementation.

President von der Leyen said: “Africa's clean energy journey is picking up speed. We are proud to be part of it. Europe has been investing massively in renewable energy projects in Africa with Global Gateway. Now we are calling on the world to join us. I'm happy to co-host the campaign Scaling up Renewables in Africa with President Ramaphosa. Together, we will help bring clean, affordable power to Africa."

The campaign is coordinated with the international advocacy organisation Global Citizen and will rely on the policy support of the International Energy Agency.

The campaign ‘Scaling up Renewables in Africa' will seek to drive new commitments on policy and finance from governments, financial institutions, the private sector and philanthropists. The campaign will conclude around the G20 summit in South Africa in November 2025.

Background

At COP28 in Dubai last year, world leaders committed to tripling global renewable energy capacity by the end of this decade to accelerate the transition from fossil fuels to cleaner, more sustainable energy. However, urgent action is needed to meet these targets. Currently, 675 million people, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa, lack access to electricity. With Africa's population set to double by 2050, providing affordable, sustainable energy is crucial for both the continent's development and global climate goals.

Africa holds 60% of the world's best solar resources, offering a significant opportunity for renewable energy. Despite this, the continent attracts only 3% of global energy investment, and faces challenges like high capital costs, limited investment, geographic barriers, and supply chain constraints.

The campaign launched today builds on the EU-Africa Global Gateway Investment Package, which supports Africa through projects jointly identified in priority areas. Global Gateway projects focus on accelerating the green and digital transition, creating sustainable growth and jobs, as well as supporting health systems and improving education and training.

The package contains €150 billion worth of investments and is also designed to attract significant investments from the private sector. More information and milestones of the Global gateway Investment Package can be found here. An overview of progress made under Global Gateway projects in Africa can be found in the joint EU-AU report launched in October 2024.