Celebrating International Day of Clean Energy: A Guide for Organizations

What is the International Day of Clean Energy?

The International Day of Clean Energy, observed every January 26, is a day designated by the United Nations (UN) to raise global awareness on the importance of transitioning to clean, affordable, and sustainable energy systems. It highlights the need to move away from fossil fuels to reduce emissions, improve energy security, and support economic and social development worldwide. For businesses and organizations, this day reinforces the role of strong safety, compliance, and operational practices in enabling a just and reliable clean energy transition.

Importance

The International Day of Clean Energy is important because it draws global attention to the urgent need to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and accelerate the adoption of safer, cleaner energy systems. The current dependency on unsustainable energy sources has many side effects to both workers and the environment, hence the need to raise awareness on other sources.

This day also encourages governments and organizations to strengthen policies, risk management, and compliance practices that support sustainable energy production and use, particularly clean energy. By promoting clean energy, the day also highlights opportunities to improve worker safety, operational efficiency, and long-term environmental resilience.

Key Priorities for 2026

The International Day of Clean Energy is celebrated yearly with different goals in mind. That said, the key priorities for 2026 present different ways to achieve that goal. Below are some of them:

Accelerating energy transition and efficiency

This priority focuses on speeding up the shift from fossil fuels to renewable and low-carbon energy sources across industries and communities. Improving energy efficiency reduces waste, lowers operating costs, and minimizes safety and environmental risks linked to outdated systems. For organizations, it emphasizes adopting efficient equipment, monitoring energy use, and maintaining assets to support a reliable clean energy transition.

Ensuring universal energy access

A major goal of International Day of Clean Energy is to promote universal energy access. Universal energy access aims to ensure that all people have reliable, affordable, and modern energy services, particularly in underserved and remote areas. Access to clean energy supports safer living conditions, economic growth, and improved health and education outcomes. It also highlights the need for strong governance, safety standards, and oversight to ensure energy systems are dependable and equitable.

Promoting technological innovation and integration

This priority highlights the role of innovation in advancing renewable energy, smart grids, energy storage, and digital monitoring systems. Integrating new technologies improves system reliability, enhances safety, and supports data-driven decision-making. For organizations, it reinforces the importance of adopting modern tools, training workers, and embedding technology into everyday operations to support clean energy goals.

How to Observe This Day

Organizations and governments are free to participate in the observance in various ways, as long as they are aligned with the overall goals. Below are a few approaches teams can take to participating in the International Day of Clean Energy:

Participate in high-level UN events

High-level UN events bring together governments, international organizations, and industry leaders to discuss progress and challenges in the global clean energy transition. Participating in these events help align international priorities, share best practices, and strengthen commitments to clean energy goals. These also provide a platform for policy dialogue that supports safe, reliable, and sustainable energy systems.

Get involved in educational campaigns

Educational campaigns raise awareness about clean energy, energy efficiency, and climate action among schools, workplaces, and communities. They help people understand the benefits of clean energy and the role of safety, compliance, and responsible operations. By improving knowledge, these campaigns empower individuals and organizations to make informed energy-related decisions.

Ensure industry participation

Businesses can participate by showcasing clean energy initiatives, set measurable targets, and share lessons learned from implementation. Doing so highlights how strong operational controls, risk management, and workforce training support safe clean energy adoption. This involvement helps accelerate innovation while maintaining safety and regulatory compliance.

Contribute to the local community

Local community actions include grassroots initiatives such as renewable energy projects, workshops, and public events. These activities connect clean energy goals to everyday life and local safety, health, and economic benefits. Community-led efforts also help build trust and participation in the energy transition. Contributing to community efforts to bring awareness to clean energy also helps businesses with reputation and learnings.

Showcasing Technology on the International Day of Clean Energy

The International Day of Clean Energy is a great time to introduce new processes and technology to improve clean energy use, adaption, and implementation. Modern technology plays a critical role in accelerating clean energy adoption by making renewable systems safer, more efficient, and easier to manage at scale. Digital tools such as asset management platforms, Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, and real-time monitoring systems help organizations track equipment performance, identify faults early, and reduce downtime across solar, wind, and energy storage assets.

Technology also enhances clean energy use by improving integration, optimization, and decision-making across the energy lifecycle. As it can take time to effectively utilize them, the International Day of Clean Energy can serve as a starting point for learning. During this day, workers and communities can be familiarized with them first. The day can also be used to train possible users on the benefits of technology for clean energy, and how to orient others on them as well.