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Data Centres and Data Transmission Networks
CO2 emissions
Data centres and data transmission networks are responsible for 1% of energy-related GHG emissions
Energy
Strong efficiency improvements have helped to limit growth in energy demand from data centres globally
Activity
Emerging services and technologies such as streaming, cloud gaming, blockchain, artificial intelligence, machine learning and virtual reality are poised to boost demand for data services
Renewable energy
Policy
Private sector initiatives
Acknowledgements
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International Shipping
Country and regional highlights
Advances in emissions regulations and technologies to decarbonise shipping
CO2 emissions
CO2 emissions from international shipping continued to rebound in 2022 following a dip in 2020
Energy
Scaling up low-emission fuels is the key to decarbonising international shipping
Technology deployment
Methanol-fuelled fleet increasing in near-term
Innovation
Industry continues to develop zero-emission vessels
Supporting infrastructure
Policy
International collaboration
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Steel
Country and regional highlights
Near zero-emission projects advance fastest in Europe, with some progress for low-emissions facilities globally
CO2 emissions
The CO2 emission intensity of steel has been relatively stable in recent years, but needs to drop significantly to align with the NZE Scenario
Energy
A reduction in reliance on coal and an increase in electricity use are required to get on track with the NZE Scenario
Activity
Material efficiency strategies are required to balance demand growth
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Heat Pumps
Heat pump sales stalled in 2023 as household budgets were squeezed
Global sales of heat pumps decreased by 3% in 2023 after two consecutive years of double-digit growth fuelled by the energy crisis. This slowdown reflects broader aversion to large-ticket purchases among consumers amid higher interest rates and inflation. Heat pumps are a large investment for households, and sales are particularly sensitive to borrowing costs and consumer sentiment.
At the same time, natural gas prices have mostly declined from their peaks in 2022, highlighting the need to tilt energy tariffs and taxes in favour of cleaner consumer choices…
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Cars and Vans
More stringent and broader coverage of fuel efficiency standards for light-duty vehicles is needed
For cars and vans, increasing fuel efficiency standards is important as even in the Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario, nearly 80% of cars and vans on the road in 2030 are still powered with internal combustion engines. Sales of heavier, less efficient SUVs reached around 46% of global sales in 2022, while electric vehicles were just 14% of sales. More and more countries are formulating vehicle efficiency standards and some are even putting in place zero-emission vehicle sales requirements. To be in line…
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Hydroelectricity
Hydropower is the largest source of renewable energy today, but that could change soon
Hydro is currently the third largest source of power generation worldwide after coal and natural gas. In 2024, it generated around 4 500 terawatt-hours of electricity, or 14% of the global total.
More than 150 gigawatts (GW) of new hydro capacity is set to come online by the end of the decade, mostly in emerging and developing economies. As a result, electricity generation from hydropower is expected to increase by 7% between 2025 and 2030. However, its share in global electricity generation is poised to…
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Heating
The energy crisis has marked a turning point for residential gas demand in Europe
Heating is a significant driver of global energy demand, both in buildings and in industry, and is an important component of energy expenditure for households, especially in colder climates. Many households use natural gas to warm their homes, provide hot water and to cook. Residential and commercial gas demand dropped by more than 15% in 2022 compared to the year before. While 40% of the decline in residential and commercial demand in Europe can be attributed to weather-related factors (reduced space heating needs due to…
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Aluminium
Country and regional Highlights
Technological progress is being made in a range of countries, while the expected expansion of China’s emissions trading systems will be key to reducing direct emissions
CO2 emissions
Further action to reduce emissions intensity will be needed to get on track with the NZE Scenario
Energy
While the energy efficiency of aluminium production has improved, fuel switching needs to accelerate
Activity
Technology deployment
Innovation
Supporting infrastructure
Policy
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Aviation
Country and regional highlights
Political agreement on net zero targets for aviation has been complemented by fiscal and regulatory policies to promote sustainable aviation fuels
CO2 emissions
CO2 emissions from aviation have reached 90% of their pre-Covid-19 peak
Energy
Improvements in energy intensity have not been sufficient to counterbalance energy demand growth in recent years
Activity
Passenger activity has nearly closed the gap with pre-Covid levels
Technology deployment
Innovation
Policy
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Digitalisation
Country and regional highlights
Countries are increasingly preparing their infrastructure for digitalisation
Energy
Digital technologies can help increase energy efficiency and reduce emissions across the energy system
CO2 emissions
Digital technologies are directly responsible for around 2% of energy-related GHG emissions today
Technology deployment
Deployment of smart meters and connected devices continues to grow
Investment
Investment in digital grid technologies accelerated in 2022
Policy