Tripling Renewables: Powering Climate Action Across Sectors is a Policy Brief published by the NDC Partnership in May 2025. It supports countries in developing their next round of Nationally Determined Contributions, known as NDCs 3.0, with a focus on the energy outcomes of the first Global Stocktake, especially the global goal of tripling renewable energy capacity by 2030.
Key insights:
The brief explains that renewable energy is increasingly included in countries’ climate plans. Around 45% of Parties included renewable energy in their first NDCs, while more than 65% included specific and measurable renewable energy targets in their second NDCs.
It highlights that the Global Stocktake calls for tripling global renewable energy capacity and transitioning away from fossil fuels, but current NDC targets are still not enough to meet this goal.
The report notes that current NDC targets would reach around 5.4 terawatts of renewable capacity by 2030, while national plans and policies project 7.4 terawatts, showing a gap between NDC commitments and broader national energy planning.
Renewables are now a mainstream energy option. In 2023, they represented 86% of new energy capacity added globally, with solar and wind becoming among the most affordable energy sources.
Despite this progress, renewable energy deployment remains geographically uneven, concentrated mainly in China, Europe, and the United States, while regions with high energy needs, especially Africa, still lag behind.
The brief stresses that renewables should not be treated only as a power-sector issue. They can support wider climate and development goals across transport, agrifood systems, water, health, disaster response, and adaptation.
In transport, renewable energy can support electric mobility, solar-powered charging stations, vehicle-to-grid systems, and renewable microgrids.
In agrifood systems, renewables can power irrigation, farm machinery, processing, cold storage, food drying, refrigeration, and cooking, helping reduce emissions and improve food security.
In water systems, renewables can support solar-powered pumping, desalination, water treatment, and more resilient water access in areas facing climate stress.
In health systems, renewable energy can improve electricity access for health facilities, reduce reliance on polluting fuels, and support more resilient health services.
The brief emphasizes that NDCs 3.0 should include stronger, clearer, and more sector-specific renewable energy targets, supported by investment plans, policy measures, technology roadmaps, and finance strategies.
Main message: Tripling renewable energy is not only an energy-sector goal. It is a cross-sector development opportunity that can strengthen mitigation, adaptation, energy security, food systems, water access, health services, and resilience. To unlock this potential, NDCs 3.0 should include ambitious renewable energy targets, stronger implementation plans, better finance strategies, and wider integration of renewables across sectors.
