Climate Action
Renewable Energy is About More Than Just Electricity
October 2, 2025
The transition to renewable energy is far more than an environmental necessity, it is a profound economic and cultural transformation that is reshaping the world. In 2023 alone, clean energy sectors accounted for 10% of global GDP growth, driving prosperity from India to the United States and China, the world’s largest clean energy adopter, where the sector accounted for nearly one fifth of the country’s 5.2% GDP growth.
The European Union saw nearly a third of its economic growth fueled by renewables that same year.
This momentum is underpinned by record-breaking investments, such as the $338 billion deployed in clean energy financing in the U.S. in 2025, propelling a surge in solar, wind, and battery storage capacity additions. The U.S. added 50 gigawatts of renewable capacity in 2024, including a record 49 gigawatts of solar power, making renewables the second-largest power source, contributing 24% of electricity generation.
Here are three other ways it is changing the planet and our lives.
Job Creation Outpaces Fossil Fuels
In the U.S. opponents of clean energy often argue it will eliminate jobs but the evidence shows the opposite. Building solar farms, manufacturing wind turbines, installing rooftop panels and maintaining energy storage facilities all require skilled workers.
According to the U.S Department of Energy, clean energy jobs already outnumber fossil fuel jobs in the US by three to one. Unlike fossil fuels, which are tied to fixed deposits underground and depend on pipelines, rail lines, or offshore drilling platforms, renewable energy projects can be spread almost anywhere — across rural, suburban, and city neighborhoods — which allows for greater local employment and career growth.
The transition to renewable energy doesn’t mean job loss, it means job transformation. Roles like turbine technicians and solar installers are projected to grow by 50% and 42% respectively between 2024 and 2034, making them some of the fastest-growing professions in the country. In 2022, the transition was projected to create 10.3 million new jobs globally by 2030 and in 2023 alone the number of newly added jobs increased by 142,000.
These opportunities, in power generation, grid modernization, and the automotive sector, offer long-term, stable employment to replace the 2.7 million fossil fuel jobs expected to be lost over the next decade.
Global Momentum Accelerating Investments
Clean energy is not just happening in the US, it’s a global movement. Worldwide, total investments in renewable energy reached a record $2.1 trillion in 2024. In 2024, China invested $818 billion in the energy transition, while the European Union committed $375 billion and the United States $338 billion, underscoring the scale and competition driving this global shift.
China, over the course of the last year, has installed more solar capacity than the rest of the world combined and accounts for almost two thirds of utility-scale solar and wind power construction. China’s President Xi Jinping said in a live video message at a climate leaders’ summit at the UN Assembly, hosted by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio said on September 24, 2025, that by 2035 his country would cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 7%-10% from its peak. Much of this is being made possible by China’s move to renewable energy.
Green and low-carbon transformation is the trend of our times. Despite some countries going against the trend, the international community should stay on the right track, maintain unwavering confidence, unwavering action, and undiminished efforts.
President Xi Jinping, of China
Meanwhile, the European Union has accelerated its clean energy targets in response to climate change and the need for energy independence. The EU has completely banned imports of coal from Russia, oil imports have dropped from 27% in 2022 to 3% in 2025, and gas imports have dropped from 45% in 2021 to 19% in 2024.
Morocco and India too are emerging as leaders in the global clean energy transition. Morocco’s renewable projects accounted for around 40% of its installed energy capacity in 2023, with a target to increase that to 52% by 2030. The country’s investment in solar and wind is also helping to fuel their economic growth and energy independence. India, meanwhile, is experiencing one of the fastest rates of renewable electricity growth among major world economies, rapidly expanding its solar and wind capacity to meet both their energy demand and their climate goals.
While both countries remain reliant on fossil fuels, they are supported by the World Bank Group and other financial institutions as they invest heavily to accelerate their clean energy transitions. In fact in 2024, global investment in clean energy climbed to nearly 2 trillion dollars, outpacing fossil fuels at just over 1 trillion dollars and marking a decisive shift in where the world is putting its money.
These investments are not only about the climate but they’re also about economic competitiveness and national security.
Public and Political Support is Growing
Back in February, the U.S. Department of Transportation froze funding that Congress had previously allocated for new electric vehicle charging stations. In response, a coalition of states sued to unfreeze the money. In June, U.S. District Judge Tana Lin of the Western District of Washington ruled that the Department of Transportation and the administration had “overstepped their Constitutional … authority and have attempted to override the express will of Congress,” leading to the release of the funds.
The money has been withheld under the Trump administration’s review of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program. The ruling underscored the separation of powers and upheld Congress’s authority over federal spending.
Even though the approval process for building new EV charging stations has proven to be slow, as EV charging stations become more widespread and available, EVs will become a more practical option for millions of Americans.
Historically politicians have shown bipartisan support for renewable energy, helping to embed clean energy incentives into major legislation such as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
Energy tax credits have spurred innovation, incentivized investment, and created good jobs in many parts of the country – including many districts represented by members of our conference. We must reverse the policies which harm American families while protecting and refining those that are making our country more energy independent and Americans more energy secure. As Republicans, we support an all-of-the-above approach to energy development and tax credits that incentivize domestic production, innovation, and delivery from all sources.
Signed by Andrew Garnarino (R-N.Y.) GOP Reps. David Valadao (Calif.), Lori Chavez-DeRemer (Ore.), Marc Molinaro (N.Y.), Erin Houchin (Ind.), Anthony D’Esposito (N.Y.), Mike Lawler (N.Y.), Nick LaLota (N.Y.), Young Kim (Calif.), Jen Kiggans (Va.), John Curtis (Utah), Don Bacon (Neb.), Tom Kean Jr. (N.J.), Dave Joyce (Ohio), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (Iowa), Juan Ciscomani (Ariz.), Mark Amodei (Nev.) and Buddy Carter (Ga.)
Much of this work to grow the renewable energy industry in the US is now being undermined as the Trump administration seeks to defund renewable energy projects.
The U.S. The Department of Energy, in its 2025 budget, reduced solar power funding from $318 million to about $42 million and wind power funding from $137 million to $30 million. The administration also rescinded some eligibility for tax credits for renewable energy projects built after 2027, aiming to claw back some of the IRA’s clean energy investments. However cities and states across the U.S are actively setting out their own ambitious renewable targets regardless.
California has mandated 100% clean energy by 2045, while Texas, despite its oil reputation, leads the nation in wind power. The push for clean energy isn’t just policy, it’s fueled by politicians, consumers, and communities who see the benefits of a cleaner, cheaper and healthier future.
The evidence supporting the shift to renewable energy is undeniable. Every sign points to a future where clean energy dominates because it makes economic and social sense. There’s no longer a question of if the transition to renewable energy will happen but rather, how quickly the transition will take place. By investing in renewables today, we not only protect our planet but work towards building a healthier future for the generations to come.
Join the movement for a cleaner, healthier future. Sign the Our Power, Our Planet petition
today and demand renewable energy now. In the U.S.? Send a message to your state lawmakers asking them to invest in renewable energy.
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