Day 5 of COP30 accelerated a system-wide push to scale clean energy, modernize industry, and mobilize finance as countries, companies and multilateral banks advanced plans to turn climate ambition into clear action.
Leaders backed new fuel standards, pledged major grid investments and deepened commitments to phase down fossil fuels. Youth and civil society groups also pressed for fair transitions that reflect the realities of vulnerable communities.
Sustainable Fuels Gain Pace
The day opened with a strong signal from governments as the Clean Energy Ministerial launched the Future Fuels Action Plan. The platform will drive the Belém 4X Pledge, which aims to quadruple sustainable fuel use by 2035. Support grew from 4 to 23 countries in only one month.
Dan Ioschpe, COP30 high-level champion, said, “The energy transition is not a sectoral challenge — it is a systemic challenge. Governments, private capital, and industry must join forces. Only through coordinated action will we unlock the investment and innovation needed to make sustainable fuels the new global standard.”
Industry players moved in step. Maersk said it will deploy 41 methanol-enabled vessels by 2027 and secure 500,000 tonnes of green methanol each year from 2026.
In Latin America, aviation and energy groups signed a joint declaration to boost the regional supply of sustainable aviation fuel.
The Global Environment Facility confirmed $15.8 million for UNIDO to accelerate hydrogen production. The 10 GW Lighthouse Initiative also mapped 68 hydrogen projects for development work in emerging markets.
Utilities Lift Annual Grid Spending
Grid and storage commitments rose as utilities in the Utilities for Net Zero Alliance pledged nearly $150 billion each year. The group aims to triple renewable capacity by 2030.
Multilateral lenders advanced regional power plans. The Asian Development Bank and the World Bank announced $12.5 billion in funding for upgrades to the ASEAN Power Grid. Meanwhile, the Inter-American Development Bank launched a transmission platform for Latin America with support from Germany.
Financial institutions also endorsed new climate finance principles to expand grid investment in emerging economies.
Green Industrialization Framework Takes Shape
Ministers adopted the Belém Declaration on Global Green Industrialization. The pact creates a framework to speed low-carbon manufacturing, technology transfer, and resilient supply chains in developing economies. Twenty-nine countries and organizations endorsed the measure, and consultations will continue for 30 days.
UNIDO’s Ciyong Zou said, “This marks a milestone in global climate ambition. It must deliver opportunities, jobs, and prosperity for all. Green industrialization provides a unified framework to align and amplify all related initiatives.”
More capital is lining up. Mission Possible Partnership announced $140 billion in final investment decisions for clean industrial projects. Steel groups also agreed on common standards covering 70 percent of global output and enabling interoperability between Chinese and European systems.
Fossil Fuel Decline Efforts Expand
Momentum to move away from fossil fuels continued. The Powering Past Coal Alliance outlined a plan to help countries design coal transition strategies. The Beyond Oil & Gas Alliance detailed a mechanism to guide the managed decline of oil and gas production.
Finance trends reinforced the shift. Members of the Clean Energy Transition Partnership have cut public finance for fossil fuels by up to 75 percent since 2021. During that period, clean energy finance from the same members rose 77 percent.
Katie White of the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office said, “Momentum is on our side. If we can clear the traffic ahead with this roadmap, then we can continue to pick up the pace.”
Efficiency and Transport Actions Advance
Mission Efficiency launched a new de-risking platform to connect investors with project pipelines across transport, industry, buildings and appliances.
Ministers from Chile and nine other countries also unveiled a declaration to align transport with a 1.5 degrees Celsius pathway. It targets a 25 percent drop in transport energy demand by 2035 and calls for shifting one-third of transport energy to biofuels and renewable sources.
Clean cooking access also expanded. The Clean Cooking Fund has allocated $86 million across 28 countries, leveraging IDA, IBRD, carbon finance, and private capital to reach more than 37 million people and thousands of public institutions.
Youth Push for Climate Justice
At the People’s Circle, youth leaders called for climate action that addresses racial inequities. COP30 Youth Climate Champion Marcele Oliveira said, “It is important to have people who know and have felt what we are talking about when the topic is the environment and climate — in positions of power, in decision-making spaces — to help us build solutions and to build public policies, which is what can actually save people’s lives.”
COP30 Highlights Extreme Heat Risks
In the Green Zone, the COP30 Presidency and UNEP continued talks under the Global Task Force Against Extreme Heat.
Experts warned that rising temperatures threaten workers in construction, agriculture, transport and industry. They stressed the need for sustainable cooling, stronger workplace protections and urban resilience measures.
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