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Des Afghans expulsés d'Iran. Pas par choix, mais par la force. Beaucoup sont encore sous le choc.

Shenzhen China, a city made up of 47 percent clean energy, with a population of 17.56 million people. Credit: Unsplash/Robert Bye

By Maximilian Malawista
NEW YORK, Jul 22 2025 (IPS)

At the UN 2025 High Level Political Forum last week, global energy leaders warned that without urgent action in expanding access to clean energy, hundreds of millions will remain vulnerable, and the world will risk falling short of its 2030 SDG deadline.

At a packed and tense side event, “Advancing Energy Transition in the Global South,” Fu Cong, China’s Permanent Representative to the UN, opened the stage with a stark message: “At present, we are falling far short of implementing the UN 2030 Agenda.” Emphasizing energy insecurity as a large proponent in this lacking race to the finish line: requiring an acceleration of coordinated action.

No Energy, No SDGs

Xin Baoan, Chairman of the Global Energy Interconnection Development and Cooperation Organization (GEIDCO) and President of the China Electricity Council displayed how energy can be the main driver in economics and meaningful sustainable development.

“Only 17 percent of the 169 SDG targets are currently on track,” he warned, referencing the staggering USD 4 trillion annual global investment gap. “Energy is a fundamental driver of economic and social progress,” Baoan added, stating that the shift to low-carbon power systems is an “urgent priority.”

Baoan explained how China now generates over 2,100 gigawatts (GW) of clean energy, making up 60 percent of its total power mix: consisting of wind, solar, and hydropower. Baoan elaborated that the steps China has taken towards clean electrification, driving China’s progress with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), could be a guide for all countries in the Global South to follow.

Baoan proposed a three-point roadmap:

1. Ensure Energy Supply: Optimizing the allocation and efficient use of clean energy resources, providing accessible energy to disproportionate regions. Reducing the number of people living without electricity, while also ensuring sustainable energy access for all.

2. Drive Economic Growth: Using electricity infrastructure as a catalyst for supporting long industrial chains, and growth of economic sectors. Attracting investment, growing industrial development, generating employment, and activating sustained economic growth.

3. Promote Coordinated Development: Deepen south-south cooperation through sharing clean energy, turning the richer energy resources of Asia, Africa, and Latin America into drivers of growth.

A Global Imbalance between Population and Economic Output

“The Global South comprises 80 percent of the world’s population, yet contributes only 40 percent of global economic output,” said Yin Bo, Director of the Cooperation Division at GEIDCO. He discovered that from 2015 to 2022, the average annual growth rate of GDP per capita across the Global South fell below levels seen during 2010 to 2014. This suggests a deepening development crisis fueled by a lack of investment.

These inequalities directly affect not only the quality, but the quantity of sustained development. “From 2015 to 2022, average energy capacity in the Global South increased only modestly, from 155 watts to 293 watts per person,” Yin contrasted this by pointing out that “the Global North saw growth from 691 to 1,073 watts per person in the same period.” Without renewed sustainable development, this wide energy gap will continue to grow, hindering any form of sustainable development in the Global South.

West Asia and Africa

Rola Dashti, Executive Secretary of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UNESCWA), painted the current picture in the Arab region. “Today, over forty million people still live without electricity. Sixty million rely on unsafe cooking fuels,” she said. She continued, adding “in this region, energy is not just about climate, it is about development, opportunity, and survival.

Extreme climates, dangerous weather, war, and outdated infrastructure have created massive regional energy difficulties. However, signs of momentum are now emerging.

· In Jordan, two-thirds of new cars sold last year were electric.
· In Algeria, Chinese partnerships launched EV production lines with a capacity of 200,000 units per year.
· In Morocco, a $2 billion lithium processing facility was recently implemented, positioning Morocco as a player in global battery supply chains.
· In Dubai, “Moro hub,” a green data center built in 2023, relies on a power supply consisting of the world’s largest single-site solar PV and solar thermal power generation station. By 2030, this solar energy park will reach a capacity of 5,000 MW (the equivalence to five nuclear reactors)
· In Iraq, The GCC Interconnection Authority recently linked its grids with Iraq, supplying 600 MW to high-need communities.

Claver Gatete, Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Africa, focused on Africa’s critical paradox of resources. “Africa possesses 60 percent of the world’s solar potential, but more than 600 million people still lack access to electricity,” said Gatete.

With Africa’s populations projected to reach 2.5 billion people by 2050, energy demand is set to be way higher than what Africa can already manage. Even worse, Gatete said that “out of the $3 trillion invested in energy globally in 2024, less than 3 percent went to Africa.” meaning investors do not see a positive return.

Gatate warned that achieving the global clean energy target of 8,000 GW would be “impossible without Africa”. He said that with platforms like GEDICO, the continent could become a key actor in the establishment of not only clean energy, but a just and inclusive energy future.

The side event “Advancing Energy Transition in the Global South” during the 2025 High-Level Political Forum in UN Headquarters, New York City. Credit: IPS/Maximilian Malawista

The Global Countdown

Navid Hanif, Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Development in the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, reaffirmed the already daunting facts “Two-thirds of the Sustainable Development Goals are lagging.” He affirmed that at the current rate, universal access to electricity will remain a distant goal.

Despite the strenuousness, the event closed on an optimistic note, highlighting China’s roles in strategic partnerships with the Global South. It now becomes evident that to reshape the future, China will be a key vehicle in transforming the energy access gap and fostering long term economic and sustainable development sustenance.

IPS UN Bureau Report

 

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The planned treaty comes after mutual defence agreements between Germany, France, Britain, and the EU, amid threats from Russia and America’s withdrawal from Europe's security architecture.

Le parlement pourrait évincer les entreprises civiles romandes des commandes militaires, privilégiant l’industrie d’armement alémanique. Tollé chez les élus romands.

An EV charging sign on the street. The growing demand for EVs requires a comprehensive framework to handle environmental impacts from used EV batteries. Credit: Unsplash/Michael Marais

By Anupam Khajuria and Sudip Ranjan Basu
BANGKOK, Thailand, Jul 22 2025 (IPS)

The Asia-Pacific region is becoming a showcase for regional solutions. As electric vehicles (EVs) rapidly gain traction, the region must confront a dual challenge: managing the environmental and health risks of end-of-life EV batteries, while actively pursuing the economic and technological opportunities of a circular economy.

By strategically combining public policy and private sector innovation, especially among micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), the region can turn this policy challenge into a blueprint for inclusive and sustainable economic growth.

Making the shift: The circular economy imperative

The transition to EVs isn’t merely about cleaner and sustainable transportation and energy transition options; it’s a fundamental shift in how we utilize, recover and re-purpose resources.

The circular economy, built upon the five “R” principles (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Repurpose, Recover), provides a strategic framework to maximize battery material value, minimize waste and sever the link between economic growth and climate action. These principles are essential for sustainable battery waste management.

Yet, realizing this ambitious vision extends beyond technology; it hinges on fostering a skilled workforce and cultivating innovative business models. Consequently, education and capacity-building become key drivers. Without a broad understanding of the country specific context and practical implementation of circularity principles, the promise of a truly sustainable ecosystem will not be met by 2030.

In 2025, the Jaipur Declaration on 3R and Circular Economy provided crucial ideas and solutions for transitioning to circularity in end-of-life batteries and vehicles.

Integrating policy frameworks: National, regional and global ambitions

Addressing EV battery waste demands a collaborative approach; no nation can solve it alone. Governments are crucial in establishing robust regulatory frameworks, such as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes, mandatory recycling targets and eco-design standards.

These policies must align with international climate agreements, like those forged at COP29 in Azerbaijan in 2024. Such global discussions underscore both ambitious emissions reduction targets and the critical importance of circular economy principles for achieving net-zero.

By legally codifying these requirements and connecting them to transparent reporting and monitoring, governments ensure that localized efforts effectively contribute to broader climate and sustainability goals.

Harnessing synergies: Circularity, finance, and multi-stakeholder policy dialogue

The transition to a circular economy for EV batteries is most effective through synergistic collaboration. At its core, this synergy involves integrating circularity principles, innovative financial mechanisms, and multi-stakeholder engagements. These engagements and dialogues should bring together government agencies, private sector leaders, MSMEs, civil society and academia.

Circularity extends beyond just recycling; it’s about fundamentally rethinking the entire value chain. National and regional engagements are crucial for facilitating the sharing of best practices, harmonizing standards and coordinating the cross-border flow of recyclable materials.

These collaborative regional and national platforms are instrumental in scaling up advanced recycling infrastructure, promoting eco-design and embedding circular economy principles at every stage from product design to end-of-life management.

Equally vital is financial innovation, which necessitates the integration of digital technology and innovative policies to facilitate widespread investment in digital public goods and infrastructure across various sectors.

National governments, often partnering with regional and international development agencies and banks, can play a pivotal role. They can provide grants, concessional loans and investment guarantees to lower barriers for MSMEs and startups entering the battery recycling and repurposing market.

By coupling financial support with technical training and capacity-building, these initiatives empower local businesses to drive innovation, create green jobs and strengthen regional supply chains.

Leveraging education: Empowering MSMEs

The ESCAP Sustainable Business Network (ESBN) Position Paper on the circular economy underscores the fundamental role of education in bridging the gap between policy and practice. Comprehensive public awareness campaigns are vital for promoting responsible EV battery disposal and educating communities about the dangers of unsafe informal practices.

Equally important is targeted capacity building and technical training for MSMEs, technicians and recyclers, which cultivates the expertise needed to safely handle, process, and innovate with battery waste, ensuring local methods meet international standards. The recent Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development also emphasized the critical need for appropriate incentives, particularly those supporting MSMEs.

Looking ahead: The region’s blueprint for a low-carbon future

The Asia-Pacific region has a transformational opportunity to elevate its knowledge-sharing and capacity-building in circular economy innovation. ESCAP stands ready to support this pivotal shift. This is not just about managing waste. It’s about reimagining the value of a circular economy: fostering green job creation, strengthening education and nurturing innovation that serves both people and the planet, a vision underscored in a recent ESCAP policy document.

Seamlessly integrating national policies with regional frameworks and global commitments is essential. So is deploying smart development financing instruments, digital tools and cultivating synergistic public-private partnerships. With the right approach, the Asia-Pacific region can transform EV battery waste from a daunting environmental challenge into a powerful engine for inclusive and sustainable economic growth, new employment opportunities and enhanced climate resilience.

Anupam Khajuria is Research Fellow and Academic Associate, United Nations University- Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS), Tokyo, Japan; Sudip Ranjan Basu is Chief of Sustainable Business Network Section, ESCAP, Bangkok.

IPS UN Bureau

 

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