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Energy Efficiency in China’s Buildings Sector
…energy services. Much of China’s improvement has come from energy efficiency upgrades in industry and overall economic structural shifts. The buildings sector accounts for approximately 20% of its total final energy consumption and its intensity has decreased at a slower rate. There remains significant potential to unlock further energy savings through technical and policy initiatives in buildings.This report outlines opportunities for actions, targets and timelines that could improve energy efficiency in China's buildings sector. It includes an analysis of the country’s current buildings energy efficiency policies and the data that tracks progress in achieving them. Regulation…
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IEA Guide to Reporting Energy Technology RD&D Budgets
This manual, developed by the International Energy Agency (IEA), provides comprehensive guidance for national experts responsible for reporting energy technology research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) budgets. It outlines the methodology and classification system used to collect and structure RD&D data across IEA member countries, ensuring consistency and comparability. The manual is divided into two main sections: fundamentals of RD&D budget reporting and a detailed classification of energy technologies. It defines RD&D in alignment with the OECD Frascati Manual and clarifies the scope of public and private sector reporting. It also provides instructions for completing the IEA…
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Gaining an Edge
…compete amid high costs, growing demand, and rising trade pressures. In today’s global context, energy efficiency is not only a matter of energy policy, but also of economic policy.The report analyses historical progress in industrial energy efficiency and its role in enhancing industrial competitiveness. It includes comparisons of firm-level energy efficiency, identifying performance gaps and opportunities for further improvement. Drawing on a new IEA survey of 1 000 firms across 14 countries, it provides insights into industry perspectives. The report also highlights emerging opportunities in energy efficiency markets and offers recommendations for policymakers, along with relevant case studies.
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Cost of Capital Observatory
Tracking the cost of capital for clean energy projects in emerging and developing economies The Cost of Capital Observatory is an initiative from the IEA, the World Economic Forum, ETH Zurich and Imperial College London. The aim of the Observatory is to increase transparency in the energy sector and inspire investor confidence, especially in emerging and developing countries where data on financing costs is scarcer.The Observatory is divided into three sections:A Dashboard that provides free data on the cost of capital for energy projects in emerging and developing economies, updated with 2023 and 2024 data in July and…
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Tracking SDG7: The Energy Progress Report, 2026
This report is published by the SDG 7 custodian agencies, the International Energy Agency (IEA), the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the Statistics Division of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), the World Bank, and the World Health Organization (WHO), and aims to provide the international community with a global dashboard to register progress on energy access, energy efficiency, renewable energy and international cooperation to advance SDG 7.
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Economic growth
Multiple benefits of Energy Efficiency 2025 Energy efficiency provides multiple benefits. This page explores economic growth. Why is energy efficiency important for economic growth? Energy efficiency allows countries to generate more economic activity using the same amount of energy. It is also linked to increased labour productivity and other economic benefits. Key facts Compared with 2000, today’s global economy produces 36% more GDP per unit of energy. Energy efficiency progress over the last 20 years means that close to an extra USD 50 trillion can today be produced using the same amount of energy. This energy efficiency bonus is equivalent to…
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Breakthrough Agenda Report 2026
Strengthening international collaboration to accelerate delivery Breakthrough Agenda Report 2026 Since its launch at COP 26, the Breakthrough Agenda has served as a framework for strengthening international collaboration across major emitting sectors. Participating countries have endorsed shared “Breakthrough” goals to make clean technologies and sustainable practices more affordable, accessible and attractive than their alternatives by 2030 across the power, road transport, hydrogen, steel, cement and buildings sectors.The Breakthrough Agenda establishes an annual cycle to track progress towards these goals, identify where stronger or more co‑ordinated international action is needed, and support collective efforts to accelerate deployment. Central to this process…
- Executive summary
- Hydrogen
- Road transport
- Steel
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Austria 2026
…Review was prepared in partnership between the Government of Austria and the IEA. It draws on the IEA’s extensive knowledge and the inputs of expert peers from IEA Member countries to assess Austria’s most pressing energy sector challenges and provide recommendations on how to address them, backed by international best practices. The report also highlights areas where Austria’s leadership can serve as an example in promoting secure and clean energy transitions. It also promotes the exchange of best practices among countries to foster learning, build consensus and strengthen political will for a sustainable and affordable energy future.
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Clean Energy Transitions Programme 2025
…their transition to clean energy, with a focus on emerging markets and developing economies. By combining global analysis, high-level convening and hands-on technical support, the CETP ensures that evidence, policy guidance and practical tools reach those shaping energy strategies on the ground.In 2025, the CETP has supported almost 350 high-level bilateral meetings with policy makers, over 700 workshops and technical exchanges, involving almost 13 000 participants, and 26 capacity-building events with over 1 700 policy professionals on energy efficiency, data and modelling. Additionally, the CETP has produced or enhanced more than 200 reports, policy briefs and data…
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Universal Access to Clean Cooking in Africa
…a new report, Universal Access to Clean Cooking in Africa: Progress update and roadmap to implementation, the International Energy Agency (IEA) provides an updated picture of where things stand today, where efforts are gaining ground, and where urgent action is still needed. This includes tracking the implementation of the USD 2.2 billion in public and private commitments made at the 2024 Summit on Clean Cooking for Africa, which the IEA co-hosted with the President of the United Republic of Tanzania, the Prime Minister of Norway, and the President of the African Development Bank Group.The report introduces a…
