The Globe and Mail reports in its Wednesday, April 1, edition that worldwide investments in renewable energy projects rose 17 per cent in 2014, reversing a two-year decline. The Globe's Richard Blackwell writes that the total spending reached $270-billion (U.S.) last year, up from $232-billion (U.S.) in 2013, says a new report from the United Nations Environment Program. The increase was driven by a big expansion of the solar industry in China and Japan, and continuing investments in offshore wind projects in Europe, the UNEP report said. Because of the increased investment, renewable technologies, such as wind, solar, biomass, geothermal, small hydro and marine power, generated 9.1 per cent of electricity production globally at the end of last year, the report said, up from 8.5 per cent in 2013. The UNEP renewable figures do not include investments in large-scale hydroelectric projects. UNEP executive director Achim Steiner says: "These climate-friendly energy technologies are now an indispensable component of the global energy mix. ... Their importance will only increase as markets mature, technology prices continue to fall and the need to rein in carbon emissions becomes ever more urgent."