Renewable energy has overtaken coal as the world’s number one source of electricity for the first time.
The growth in solar and wind has met the global increase in demand for electricity and brought about a small reduction in coal and gas use.
China has led the clean energy push, adding more solar and wind capacity than the rest of the world combined, and India has also experienced a surge in renewables.
However, the US and Europe still rely heavily on planet-warming fossil fuels.
The International Energy Agency says this divide will increase due to the policies of US President Donald Trump.
His administration has stopped funding for clean energy projects, lifted barriers to coal mining and dedicated millions of dollars to plants.
The majority of solar generation (53 per cent) is in lower-income countries, with prices falling by an incredible 99.9pc since 1975.
Most of these countries are “sun belt nations”, which need large amounts of electricity for air conditioning, but can significantly reduce energy costs by adopting solar-based systems.
Wind belt countries such as the UK have not benefited in this way, with turbine prices not reducing significantly and high interest rates stalling wind farm installations.
Senior electricity analyst at energy think tank Ember, Malgorzata Wiatros-Motyka, said the one per cent fall in fossil fuel generation was small but significant, and added:
“This is a turning point where we see emissions plateauing.”
