Abu Dhabi, Jan. 11 -- The global push toward renewable energy has proven "unstoppable" despite shifting political winds, United Nations General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock said, pointing to a surge in investment and capacity that signals an irreversible transition away from fossil fuels.

Speaking at the 16th International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) Assembly during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week on Sunday, Baerbock said the pace of renewable energy deployment over the past decade shows the world is moving decisively toward a clean-energy future.

She recalled that when the Paris Agreement was adopted in 2015, global renewable energy capacity stood at just 153 gigawatts.

By last year, she said, installed capacity had climbed ...