The Climate Clock Ticks: Midway Milestones & Misses

It all started in 2015, when the Paris Agreement brought nearly every nation together under a shared commitment to fight climate change. For the first time, countries agreed to limit global warming to 1.5 °C and to update their climate plans every five years.

Among these commitments, India pledged ambitious targets—aiming to reduce emissions intensity by 45% and to generate about half of its electricity from non-fossil sources by 2030.

Now, in 2025, a decade after that historic moment, and coinciding with World Environment Day 2025, it’s time to take stock. In this edition, we’ll explore the progress made so far on two critical Sustainable Development Goals: SDG 7, which focuses on clean and affordable energy, and SDG 13, dedicated to urgent climate action.

Global Climate Promises: Progress, Postcards, and Pressure

The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) formally brought climate and energy into development planning. But COVID-19, wars, and inflation have thrown many targets off track. While renewable energy and access have improved, full electrification and deep decarbonization still lag. Emissions? They're back to record highs.

COP summits have delivered landmark moments—but also frustrations. Glasgow (2021) pushed for a coal phase-down, Sharm el-Sheikh (2022) launched a long-overdue Loss & Damage fund (albeit with modest pledges), and Dubai (2023) made a bold call: triple renewables, double efficiency by 2030. Yet, despite the declarations, current policies still lead us to ~2.9 °C warming. Even if all promises are kept, we’re only looking at ~2.5 °C—still far above safety limits.

On the brighter side, momentum is growing. Over 40% of global emissions are now covered by net-zero targets. Initiatives like the International Solar Alliance (launched by India and France) and India’s LiFE mission are turning diplomacy into grassroots action.

Bottom line? The frameworks are in place. The language is right. But we’re still short on delivery. It’s not about more promises—it’s about turning COP speeches into closed coal plants, funded solutions, and real-time emissions cuts.

The world isn’t out of time—yet. But talk must now give way to action. Fast.

The Climate Report Card: Progress Made, Gaps Unignored

Eight years after the Paris Agreement, the climate crisis remains a race between rising emissions and rising ambition. And right now? Emissions are edging ahead.

In 2023, greenhouse gas levels hit record highs. CO₂, methane, and F-gases continued climbing, pushing global warming to a new peak: 1.45 °C above pre-industrial levels. The year was the hottest ever recorded. Oceans are warming, glaciers are retreating, and extreme events—floods, droughts, wildfires—are now relentless headlines. The science is blunt: even if all climate pledges are met, we’re still on track for 2.5–2.9 °C of warming. The window to 1.5 °C is closing fast.

Yet, there’s undeniable progress. In 2023, the world added a record 560 GW of renewable capacity, with solar and wind now cheaper than fossil fuels in many places. Renewables now supply nearly 30% of global electricity, up from 20% a decade ago. EVs are accelerating, batteries are cheaper, and clean energy innovation is alive—from green hydrogen to storage tech.

But there’s a catch: the shift isn’t fast enough. Energy efficiency is improving, but at 1.3% a year, far below the 3.4% needed. Clean cooking access and electrification are lagging—660+ million may still lack electricity by 2030. Sub-Saharan Africa, in particular, risks being left behind.

Why the gap? Weak policies, financing hurdles, and political hesitation. Many NDCs remain vague. The promised $100B per year in climate finance hasn’t fully materialized. Only a trickle reaches the poorest and most vulnerable. And while pledges are easy, phasing out fossil fuel subsidies and investing in grids, storage, and just transitions is where courage is tested.

Then there’s the human side: climate injustice runs deep. The world’s poorest emit the least but suffer the most. Without bold equity-based solutions, the global south can’t leapfrog to clean futures.

The pieces of the puzzle exist. What’s missing is the urgency—and alignment—to put them together before the clock runs out.

SDG 7 & SDG 13: Halfway to 2030, Progress or Illusion?

As we cross the midpoint to 2030, the world’s energy and climate goals—SDG 7 (clean, affordable energy) and SDG 13 (climate action)—stand on shaky ground. While renewable energy and green technologies are scaling faster than ever, the core promise of universal access and deep emissions cuts is slipping out of reach. 

Nearly 660–700 million people may still lack electricity by 2030, and close to 1.9 billion people could remain dependent on unsafe, polluting cooking fuels. The burden falls heaviest on Sub-Saharan Africa and parts of South Asia, where infrastructure, finance, and policy support are lagging.

Renewables are expanding fast—a record 560 GW of capacity added globally in 2023—but the growth isn’t enough. The current share of renewables in total energy use is on track to hit only ~23% by 2030, far from the SDG goal of doubling the share. For modern renewables like solar and wind, the gap is even wider. Meanwhile, energy efficiency improvements remain too slow—just 1.3% per year, well below the 3.4% annual pace needed to stay aligned with climate goals.

Climate action, too, is a tale of contradictions. Long-term net-zero pledges have multiplied, and carbon intensity is falling in many nations. Yet global emissions hit record highs again in 2022, and the current policy trajectory leads us to 2.9 °C warming—far above the Paris Agreement’s 1.5 °C ambition. The 2023 WMO report declared 2023 the hottest year on record and warned that “multiple climate indicators are at unprecedented highs.”

India’s climate action and clean energy drive

As the world’s third-largest emitter and a developing economy, India has committed to ambitious goals: cutting GDP emissions intensity by 45% from 2005 levels by 2030, achieving 50% non-fossil power capacity, and reaching net-zero by 2070. These targets demand major transformations in energy, industry, and transport.

India’s renewable energy sector has scaled rapidly, with over 217 GW of non-fossil capacity installed by early 2025 and a target of 500 GW by 2030. Solar capacity surged in 2024 with record additions, supported by strong policies and infrastructure upgrades. Near-universal electricity access and clean cooking have improved significantly through flagship programs like Saubhagya and Ujjwala, setting global benchmarks.

Innovation drives progress through green hydrogen missions, energy efficiency schemes, EV incentives, and smart grid rollouts. India’s diplomatic leadership shines in global initiatives like the International Solar Alliance and climate finance reforms. Yet, significant challenges persist: coal still supplies around 70% of electricity, per-capita energy use is rising, and financing needs remain enormous. Grid stability, technology integration, and climate vulnerabilities, especially to agriculture and water resources, require urgent focus.

Source - World Economic Forum

To meet 2030 goals, India must accelerate clean energy deployment, scale emerging technologies like storage and green hydrogen, and mobilize massive public and private investments. Addressing these challenges is critical to ensuring a sustainable, just transition and securing India’s role as a global climate leader.

Conclusion 

By 2025, we’ve made some solid progress on clean energy and climate action. Renewables are growing, more people have electricity than ever before, and countries like India are setting ambitious targets. 

So, what’s missing? For starters, renewables need to triple in capacity, and energy efficiency must at least double. Countries need to update their climate plans urgently to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees. And yes, financing remains a massive hurdle, especially for developing countries trying to balance growth with sustainability. India’s solar boom is inspiring, but even that needs more support—think technology sharing, smarter grids, and a real push to phase out coal.

The good news? Solutions exist. Expanding off-grid electrification, streamlining clean energy projects, and investing in innovation like green hydrogen and battery storage can make a huge difference. Plus, climate action has to be fair—helping workers transition, supporting vulnerable communities, and ensuring nobody gets left behind. 

In short: the clock’s ticking, but with bold policies, better cooperation, and everyone pitching in—from governments and businesses to you and me—we can still turn the tide.