By Sonia Dunlop, CEO of the Global Solar Council & Member of the Solar Stewardship Initiative.

The Global Solar Council is the voice of the world’s solar PV industry representing corporate members across the value chain as well as national, regional and international associations to accelerate solar deployment globally.

Leaving Belém after COP30, one feeling stood out: contradiction.

On one hand, the summit reaffirmed the global target to triple renewables by 2030, a vital signal for markets and investors. On the other, it fell short in delivering a clear, roadmap to phase out fossil fuels. That gap matters because ambition without implementation risks slowing the momentum we urgently need to tackle the climate crisis.

Yet, despite political headwinds, the energy transition is advancing. Solar and storage are becoming the backbone of modern energy systems. Investments in renewables now outpace fossil fuels two to one. From Europe to Pakistan to Australia, solar is proving that it can slash bills, empower communities and build resilience.

The question is: how do we keep this acceleration sustainable in this politically volatile time?

COP30 highlighted a reality many of us already sensed: climate and sustainability policy is entering a more fragmented and complex phase.

In Europe, frameworks like the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) are being diluted. In the United States and other regions, political cycles and economic pressures are also creating uncertainty for businesses navigating compliance.

At the same time, other regulations remain strong and enforceable, such as the EU Forced Labour Regulation.

This is not a reason to give up. On the contrary, it is a call for high standards, clarity and collaboration.

The sector cannot wait

Solar is scaling at historic speed. But speed without good governance and high standards comes with risk.

Solar supply chains are global, complex, and under scrutiny. Developers, buyers, citizens and end-consumers increasingly demand proof that solar has been made responsibly and sustainably. At the Global Solar Council, we fully endorse this movement towards greater transparency and sustainability.

The SSI comes into play

The Solar Stewardship Initiative (SSI) has a clear objective: to help companies prepare for and demonstrate compliance with existing and emerging regulations, reducing complexity. Its multistakeholder governance model ensures that civil society, academic experts, buyers, manufacturers, international organisations and financial institutions all have an equal voice, fostering credibility and balanced representation. From ingots and wafers to solar modules, the SSI standards and assessments cover the entire solar value chain enhancing the credibility and efficiency of the initiative.

A landmark milestone for the SSI and the industry: The SSI has now reached a major milestone. In 12 months, over 115 GW of solar module production capacity was assessed against the SSI ESG Standard. This is not just a statistic, it is a landmark achievement for the industry, signaling real momentum and a collective commitment to responsible practices at scale. By way of comparison, the combined installed capacity of solar modules in both the EU and the UK in 2024 was 67 GW. It demonstrates that the solar sector is stepping up to deliver transparency, sustainability, responsibility, as policy frameworks continue to evolve. Looking ahead, the SSI has set ambitious targets: by January 2029, 100% of solar modules sold from SSI Members into Europe and the UK  (EEA) will need to come from SSI-certified sites.

The SSI is already delivering as a multistakeholder framework that helps companies meet their legal obligations and market expectations, while making sure transparency, sustainability, and labour rights are protected.

Beyond COP, increasing deployment

While the primary goal of COP is not to deliver business but to set strategic orientation, it remains an important meeting point for the sector. Enabling national investment plans with clear sectoral policies is what truly drives deployment. Too often, regulatory frameworks do not keep pace with on-the-ground realities. The energy transition is not only a top-down process; it is also people-led, with complementary bottom-up movements making a real difference. This is why initiatives like “300 Million Solar Homes by 2030”, launched by the Global Solar Council, are so important. By giving citizens stronger ownership over the transition and ensuring high sustainability standards, we can deploy solar at speed and scale, making the benefits of clean energy accessible to all. The SSI plays a key role here, providing the assurance that rapid deployment is matched by robust ESG and traceability standards. Having recently opened our membership to include energy storage players, Belém was the opportunity to reaffirm the importance of solar and storage as natural allies.. The solar and storage alliance we reaffirmed in Belém is already proving to be the backbone of a clean, flexible and resilient energy system.

Looking ahead

The energy transition may have hesitated in Belém, but we need to deliver faster. Expectations from buyers, developers, and end-consumers are rising, even as laws fluctuate. The SSI provides the clarity and trust the market needs, helping companies comply, compete, and lead responsibly.

For the Global Solar Council, supporting the SSI is essential. Essential for credibility, for the markets, and for solar’s legitimacy as the world’s leading clean energy solution.