Renewable energy has overtaken coal as the world’s biggest source of electricity for the first time — a milestone that ECI and Oxford University climate scientist Professor Myles Allen says must not distract from the need to tackle ongoing fossil fuel emissions.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme following the release of new data from the global energy think tank Ember, Prof Allen described the shift as positive but incomplete:
It’s abundantly clear that, although it’s very good news the cost of solar and wind are coming down, particularly solar, we’re going to be using fossil fuels for a very long time. So, in addition to replacing fossil fuels as fast as we can, we have to fix them.”
Prof Allen, Professor of Geosystem Science at the Environmental Change Institute, has long argued that cutting emissions must include making continued fossil fuel use climate-safe through carbon capture and storage (CCS). He added:
We have to make sure that our continued use of fossil fuels doesn’t cause global warming. One day, one hopes, it will become as unacceptable to dump your carbon dioxide into the atmosphere as it was once acceptable to dump your sewage out the window.”
Highlighting the opportunity for the UK to lead on carbon capture technologies, Prof Allen said: “It’s good news that we’re seeing these developments in renewables, but it’s also good news we’re seeing developments in fixing fossil fuels as well. Let’s make sure we don’t miss the next wave of clean technology.”
Read the full Ember report: Global Electricity Mid-Year Insights 2025
Listen again to Prof Allen speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, alongside Lord Adair Turner, Chair of the Energy Transitions Commission: BBC Sounds 07:51:00 approx (available until 4 November 2025).