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Rail
Country and regional highlights
Europe targets modernisation of the rail network and India rapid electrification, while China is expanding its network with a focus on high-speed rail
CO2 emissions
Rail is the least emissions-intensive mode of passenger transport – its expansion will help reduce overall emissions
Energy
Expansion of electric trains continues rapidly in the NZE Scenario, particularly to replace diesel-powered freight trains
Activity
Innovation
Policy
Acknowledgements
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Light Industry
Country and regional highlights
Important investment programmes are being deployed to push energy efficiency and decarbonisation in light industries
CO2 emissions
While light-industry emissions have declined since 2010, a more rapid decline is needed to get on track with the NZE Scenario
Energy
The share of fossil fuel use is declining, but progress needs to accelerate
Technology deployment
Firms should prioritise technologies for low-emission process heat and increased energy efficiency
Innovation
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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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Paper
Country and regional highlights
There is growing ambition on electrifying heat in the European paper industry
CO2 emissions
Emissions intensity has seen a decade of reductions, but further effort is needed going forward
Energy
Further energy efficiency improvements and fuel switching are needed to get on track with the Net Zero Scenario
Activity
While production has been relatively flat over much of the past decade, growth in emerging economies may drive a moderate increase in the coming years
Policy
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Electric Vehicles
Global electric car sales continue to break records as affordability improves
Despite recent economic headwinds that have put pressure on the auto sector, global sales of electric cars have continued to break records as electric models become increasingly affordable. Electric car sales exceeded 17 million globally in 2024, reaching a sales share of more than 20%. Just the additional 3.5 million electric cars sold in 2024 compared with the previous year is more than the total number of electric cars sold worldwide in 2020.
In 2025, sales of electric cars are expected to surpass 20 million, accounting for over…
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Electrification
Country and regional highlights
Electrification gains momentum across countries and sectors
CO2 emissions
In the Net Zero by 2050 Scenario, from now to 2030 most electrification-related emission reductions occur in transport
Energy
The share of electricity in energy demand will need to increase by 4% per year to get on track with the Net Zero by 2050 Scenario
Technology deployment
New cars and new houses are the main areas for deployment of electrification technologies
Policy
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Cement
Country and regional highlights
Major policy developments of the last year hold promise for reducing emissions from the cement sector and increasing public procurement of low-carbon concrete
CO2 emissions
Cement emissions remain stubbornly high – the development and deployment of new technologies is essential to get on track with the NZE Scenario
Energy
Activity
Technology deployment
Innovation
Supporting infrastructure
Policy
International collaboration
Private sector strategies
Acknowledgements
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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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Electrolysers
Country and regional highlights
Progress is spread across different continents, from China, which leads on installed capacity, to the European Union, which have adopted important policies, and other regions like India and the Middle East moving forward with a small number of large-scale projects
Technology deployment
Global installed electrolyser capacity reached 1.4 GW at the end of 2023, almost double the one at the end of 2022
Technology manufacturing
Innovation
Policy
Investment
Acknowledgements
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Space Cooling
Country and regional highlights
Updated energy efficiency standards and new policies target emissions associated with space cooling
CO2 emissions
Progress on efficiency and power decarbonisation have not been sufficient to curb emissions growth from rising space cooling demand
Energy
In 2022 energy consumption for space cooling further increased by more than 5% from 2021
Activity
More than half of floor area additions to 2030 will occur in areas of the world with a high need for space cooling
Policy