International Day of Clean Energy
January 26
International Day of Clean Energy: Powering Communities Without Leaving Anyone Behind… Or Destroying the Planet
When you flip a light switch, charge your phone, or cook dinner, you are tapping into an energy system that shapes nearly every part of daily life. That system can either lock us into rising emissions, pollution, and inequality, or it can power schools, clinics, businesses, and homes in a way that keeps people and the planet healthy. Clean energy, also known as renewable energy, is about more than technology. It is about who gets reliable power, who breathes safe air, and who benefits from the jobs and investment that come with the energy transition.
The International Day of Clean Energy, observed on 26 January, recognizes that connection. Created by the United Nations General Assembly, it calls for a just and inclusive shift to clean energy so that communities everywhere can access affordable, reliable sustainable power while protecting the climate we all depend on.
What does a clean energy future actually look like?
Currently, most of the world still runs on fossil fuels including coal, oil, and natural gas. They are dug or drilled from the ground, transported across long distances, and burned in power plants, vehicles, and factories to keep lights on and economies moving. This system has been built up over more than a century, so it feels normal to flip a switch without thinking about the coal train, pipeline, or gas well behind it. The hidden cost is that every step of this process releases pollution into the air, water, and soil that we all share.
Those emissions are bad for both the planet and our bodies. Burning fossil fuels is the largest driver of climate change, which means more heat waves, stronger storms, and rising seas that threaten homes, jobs, and food systems. The same smokestacks and tailpipes that warm the planet also send out tiny particles and gases that damage lungs and hearts. People who live near power plants, refineries, busy roads, or ports often face higher rates of asthma and other health problems. These harms do not fall evenly. They tend to land hardest on low income communities and communities of color that have long been pushed closest to pollution.
Clean energy is the alternative to that status quo. In this piece, clean energy and renewable energy are used as nearly interchangeable ideas. Both refer to sources like solar, wind, hydropower, geothermal energy, and modern bioenergy that are naturally replenished and produce little or no greenhouse gas pollution when used. Solar panels turn sunlight into electricity. Wind turbines capture the movement of air. Hydropower uses flowing water, while geothermal taps heat from inside the Earth. In some places, carefully managed bioenergy uses plant material or waste to create useful power.
These options are also more resilient and more fair. A solar powered clinic in a rural village can keep vaccines cold even when the wider grid fails. A community owned wind or solar project can lower electricity bills and keep more money circulating locally. Because renewables do not depend on fuel that must be mined or imported, they protect communities from price shocks and the environmental damage of extraction. Shifting from fossil fuels to clean energy cuts climate pollution, reduces the health burden of dirty air, and opens up new chances for communities to shape how their energy is produced and who benefits from it.
Global and local efforts driving clean energy
The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) is a global intergovernmental agency that helps governments design policies, scale up renewable energy, and plan long term energy transitions. It provides detailed data, modelling, and guidance on pathways that keep global warming within 1.5 degrees Celsius while expanding access and jobs.
RE-volv is a nonprofit in the United States that helps small and midsized community organizations go solar, especially in underinvested neighborhoods. It offers zero down financing, helps nonprofits save on their electricity bills from day one, and uses each project as a chance to educate community members and train emerging clean energy leaders.
Burlington, Vermont has became the first U.S. city to run entirely on renewable electricity in 2014. Its power comes from a mix of local hydropower from the Winooski River, a biomass plant that burns wood waste, and regional wind projects. The city has shown that a small but committed community can achieve energy independence while keeping rates stable, proving that 100% renewable goals are both possible and affordable.
3 Actions You Can Take for Clean Energy
Support community based clean energy projects.
Look for nonprofits, schools, or faith communities in your area that are installing solar or efficiency upgrades, especially in neighborhoods that have carried a heavy pollution burden. Donating, volunteering, or helping with outreach can expand access to clean power where it is needed most and keep more energy savings in the community.Push for policies that center clean energy and equity.
Contact local and national decision makers about energy issues, from net metering rules to public transit and building codes. Ask them to back policies that phase down fossil fuels, scale up renewables, protect workers in transitioning industries, and prioritize energy access for low income households. Public pressure helps shape the rules that decide whose lights stay on and whose bills stay affordable.Shift institutions you are part of toward renewables.
If you are connected to a campus, workplace, or community group, start a conversation about where your electricity comes from and how to change it. That might mean exploring green power purchasing, advocating for on site solar, or joining campaigns that push utilities toward higher shares of wind and solar. Institutional shifts can move a lot of megawatt hours and signal that there is real demand for clean, equitable energy.
www.internationaldayofcleanenergy.org
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