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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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Critical Minerals
Critical minerals are essential for a range of today’s energy technologies and for the broader economy. For example, lithium, nickel, cobalt, manganese and graphite are crucial to battery performance. Rare earth elements are essential indispensable to the permanent magnets used in wind turbines and electric vehicle motors. Electricity networks need a huge amount of aluminium and copper, the latter of which is the cornerstone of all electricity-related technologies. As demand for these materials grows strongly, their strategic importance has also increased – and policymakers have made ensuring secure and resilient mineral supply chains a major priority. Critical Minerals Security…
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The Middle East and Global Energy Markets
The IEA is responding to the energy market impacts of the conflict 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…
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Energy and Water
…as well as climate change. This has significant implications for ensuring both energy and water security. Energy's water problem Energy demand for water desalination is poised to double to 2030 Almost all of the world’s water demand is met by groundwater and surface water. However, water stress has led to an increase in the use of non-traditional resources, such as saltwater. This requires desalination, the process of separating saline water (seawater or brackish water) into freshwater and concentrated salt. Global energy demand for desalination has nearly doubled since 2010, and current trends point to another doubling to…
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Fossil Fuel Subsidies
…coal, these are based on the import parity price: the price of a product at the nearest international hub, adjusted for quality differences, if necessary, plus the cost of freight and insurance to the net importer, plus the cost of internal distribution and marketing and any value-added tax (VAT). VAT was added to the reference price where the tax is levied on final energy sales, as a proxy for the tax on economic activities levied across an economy. Other taxes, including excise duties, are not included in the reference price.For net exporters of oil, natural gas and coal…