---
title: Renewable energy passes 30% of world’s electricity supply for the first time
description: A report on the global power system has found that the world may be on the brink of driving down fossil fuel generation despite rising demand for electricity overall
---

[![Greenpeace](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/hs-fs/hubfs/GPAP-Master-Logo-Green-RGB_Web-1.png?width=2259&height=348&name=GPAP-Master-Logo-Green-RGB_Web-1.png "Greenpeace")](https://www.greenpeace.org.au)

[![Canopy Logo](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/hubfs/raw_assets/public/gpap-main-theme/images/the-canopy/the-canopy-logo.png)](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy)

The Canopy is a weekday morning email newsletter provided by the team at Greenpeace Australia Pacific.

# Renewable energy passes 30% of world’s electricity supply for the first time

Thursday, 9 May 2024

A report on the global power system has found that the world may be on the brink of driving down fossil fuel generation despite rising demand for electricity overall, with renewable energy accounting for more than 30% of the world’s electricity last year on the back of a rapid rise in wind and solar power. 

The NSW government's latest biodiversity study has revealed biodiversity continues to fall across the state on almost every measure, with damaged and degraded landscapes amidst escalating climate and environmental threats placing the state at risk of losing roughly 500 species within 100 years.

And as part of the race to future proof agriculture against climate change, the UK’s University of Essex has built a new laboratory where researchers will develop climate resilient plants to help ensure food security for a growing population in a warming world.

**Top stories:**  
[Renewable energy passes 30% of world’s electricity supply](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/may/08/renewable-energy-passes-30-of-worlds-electricity-supply)  
Renewable energy accounted for more than 30% of the world’s electricity for the first time last year following a rapid rise in wind and solar power, according to new figures.

[Dire warning: How this state could lose hundreds of species within 100 years](https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/how-this-state-could-lose-hundreds-of-species-within-100-years/jz1qze69o)  
NSW could lose roughly 500 species within 100 years as nature struggles to survive escalating threats including habitat loss and climate change.

[Climate-resilient plants to be developed in a bid to secure food as Earth warms](https://au.news.yahoo.com/climate-resilient-plants-developed-bid-032423487.html)  
A new laboratory where researchers aim to develop climate-resilient plants to ensure future food security has been built at a UK university.

[Global temperature heat streak continues with April officially the hottest on record](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-05-08/global-temperature-heat-streak-record-continues/103819432)  
Australia may have shivered through its coldest April since 2015, but the rest of the world continued to break heat records for the 11th month in a row.

[The Perth suburbs with the most electric vehicles … will soon face competition](https://transition.meltwater.com/paywall/redirect/1_NkfgMfoKXPeqfNCEhxBAft-UU?cid=b72c7afe-8195-423c-aefb-b56e71bfd5c6&productType=newsletter)  
The Cook government has committed $5 million to topping up its zero-emissions vehicle rebate scheme targeted at buyers of new electric vehicles.

[Climate change: World's oceans suffer from record-breaking year of heat](https://au.news.yahoo.com/climate-change-worlds-oceans-suffer-020058584.html)  
A BBC analysis has found that, fuelled by climate change, the world's oceans have broken temperature records every single day over the past year.

[climate change](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/tag/climate-change), [Electric vehicles](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/tag/electric-vehicles), [fossil fuel](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/tag/fossil-fuel), [renewables](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/tag/renewables), [Biodiversity](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/tag/biodiversity), [activism](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/tag/activism), [nature](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/tag/nature)

### Will you share with your friends?

[Share on Facebook](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/renewable-energy-passes-30-of-worlds-electricity-supply-for-the-first-time%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_term%3Dsocial%2Bshare%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [Share on Whatsapp](whatsapp://send?text=Check%20out%20this%20thing%20from%20Greenpeace!%20https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/renewable-energy-passes-30-of-worlds-electricity-supply-for-the-first-time%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_term%3Dsocial%2Bshare%26utm_source%3Dwhatsapp) [Share on Twitter](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/renewable-energy-passes-30-of-worlds-electricity-supply-for-the-first-time%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_term%3Dsocial%2Bshare%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/renewable-energy-passes-30-of-worlds-electricity-supply-for-the-first-time%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_term%3Dsocial%2Bshare%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=) 

[Go to the website](https://www.greenpeace.org.au/)

## More news

### [World Meteorological Organisation says electricity supply from clean energy sources must double within 8 years](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/world-meteorological-organisation-says-electricity-supply-from-clean-energy-sources-must-double-within-8-years)

The World Meteorological Organisation has said that the supply of electricity from clean energy...

### [Woodside EPA extension would be a climate disaster](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/woodside-epa-extension-would-be-a-climate-disaster)

Fossil fuel giant Woodside is one step closer to being granted a 50-year extension for its gas...

### [Woodside is about to start seismic blasting](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/woodside-is-about-to-start-seismic-blasting)

Greenpeace Australia Pacific has condemned fossil fuel giant Woodside following reports it will...

Work like this is only made possible by our supporters. Greenpeace accepts NO government funding or corporate donations to remain impartial. To amplify meaningful climate activism in Australia, ***become a regular giver today.***

[Donate to Support Greenpeace](https://donate.greenpeace.org.au/)

[![Greenpeace](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/hs-fs/hubfs/GPAP-Master-Logo-Green-RGB_Web-1.png?width=2259&height=348&name=GPAP-Master-Logo-Green-RGB_Web-1.png "Greenpeace")](https://www.greenpeace.org.au/)

Connect with us <https://www.facebook.com/greenpeaceaustraliapacific/> <https://twitter.com/greenpeaceap?lang=en> <https://www.youtube.com/user/GreenpeaceAustralia> <https://www.instagram.com/greenpeaceap/>

**Call:** [1800 815 151](tel:1800815151)

 Our team acknowledges that we meet and work on the land of the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We wish to pay respect to their Elders — past, present and future — and acknowledge the important role all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people continue to play within Australia, the environmental movement and the Greenpeace crew.

© Greenpeace 2026. [Privacy Policy.](https://www.greenpeace.org.au/privacy-policy/)