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The Middle East and Global Energy Markets
…in the Middle East and continues to closely monitor the latest developments.The disruption to oil and gas flows through the Strait of Hormuz and attacks on energy infrastructure across the region have major implications for energy security and affordability – and for the world economy. The IEA's Executive Director has said the combined impacts amount to "the greatest threat to global energy security in history." The war in the region that began on 28 February has impeded energy trade flows through the Strait, creating the largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market. Global gas markets have also…
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Energy and Water
…water) into freshwater and concentrated salt. Global energy demand for desalination has nearly doubled since 2010, and current trends point to another doubling to 2030. Some 21,000 desalination plants currently operate in about 150 countries, from the United States and China to Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia – though half of global installed capacity is located in the Middle East and North Africa. Renewables can help ease the energy sector's water problem In a scenario in which global energy sector emissions reach net zero by 2050, water withdrawals by the energy sector decline by almost 20 bcm by…
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Climate Change
…s energy sector to reach net zero emissions by mid-century, limiting global warming to 1.5 °C, as called for by the Paris Agreement, and avoiding the worst effects of climate change.The rapid growth of some clean energy technologies in recent years – including electric cars, solar PV and batteries – has kept the door to 1.5 °C open. Yet meeting this target would require much faster progress on a much larger scale, IEA analysis shows – with even greater international co-operation and ambition from policy makers, as well as the swift and full implementation of the energy commitments…
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Investment
…tracks capital flows in the energy sector, identifying key trends and studying their impact. Analyses such as our flagship World Energy Investment report, published annually, explore how investors are assessing risks and opportunities across all areas of fuel and electricity supply, critical minerals, energy efficiency, research and development and energy finance.The Agency also supports governments and industry as they work to reduce barriers to investing in secure, affordable and clean energy. Our analysis is designed to enhance transparency around economic and financing trends, the cost of capital and profit dynamics. We also explore how capital markets and innovative financing instruments can…
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Energy Security
…2025, the IEA convened an International Summit on the Future of Energy Security, hosted by the UK government in London. The event gathered world leaders to address traditional and emerging risks related to energy security in an era of geopolitical strains, technological transformation and a changing climate. Oil security One of the IEA's core missions is to ensure oil supply security through market monitoring, stockholding requirements and collective actions The IEA was founded in 1974 to ensure oil supply security. While much has changed in the global energy landscape since then, the security of oil supply remains a pressing concern for…
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Energy and Gender
…energy sector. Women are vital energy consumers, producers and decision-makers who make a crucial contribution to global energy security and energy transitions. Building a more secure, fair and equitable energy future hinges on their active participation.Recognising this, the IEA’s Member countries have asked the Agency to focus on key issues at the nexus of energy and gender, from improving gender data collection to expanding analysis of the gender dimensions of energy policies. This work continues to expand and develop. The initiative, which was formerly known as C3E International, works to improve gender-disaggregated data in the energy…
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Russia's War on Ukraine
…first truly global energy crisis. Two years on, energy prices have pulled back from record highs, but trends vary widely among regions. In many parts of the world, prices are still elevated – holding back economic growth, straining the finances of households and businesses, and complicating efforts to improve access to electricity. Energy markets, faced with an unusually high degree of geopolitical uncertainty, remain on edge.In Ukraine, the energy sector is on the front line of the war for the second consecutive winter. As temperatures have dropped, Russia has resumed a broad military offensive targeting power plants and other key energy infrastructure…
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Critical Minerals
…the average market share of the top three refining nations rose to 86% in 2024 from around 82% in 2020, with almost all supply growth coming from the single top supplier: Indonesia for nickel, and China for all others.
While policy makers have woken up to the challenges, based on today’s policy settings and investment trends, the average share of the top three suppliers is projected to decline only marginally over the next decade, effectively returning to the concentration levels seen in 2020. Despite narrowing supply gaps for some minerals, risks remain Demand growth for key energy minerals has… -
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COP28: Tracking the Energy Outcomes
…of Nationally Determined Contributions, or NDCs, under the Paris Agreement. Strong ambition and implementation of these NDCs will be crucial in determining the pace at which global greenhouse gas emissions decline over the next decade.The IEA is working with the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Secretariat and sharing data, analysis and policy advice with governments to inform this process.Our Climate Pledges Explorer tracks existing NDCs and net zero targets for more than 190 countries. The interactive database, which also lays out what each country’s NDC implies for energy sector emissions, is updated regularly. Working with countries to accelerate progres...
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Artificial Intelligence
…today. While this is still a relatively small portion of the global total, the effects are poised to be particularly strong in some countries. For example, in the United States, data centres are on course to account for almost half of the growth in electricity demand to 2030; in Japan, more than half; and in Malaysia, as much as one-fifth.A diverse range of energy sources will be tapped to meet data centres’ rising electricity needs globally – though renewables and natural gas are currently set to take the lead due to their cost-competitiveness and availability in key markets…