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Net Zero Emissions
…inform these efforts, the IEA released a first-of-its-kind Net Zero Roadmap in 2021, outlining what would be required within the energy sector to achieve this goal at the global level by mid-century. An update to the Roadmap, which has served as an essential benchmark for policy makers, industry, the financial sector and civil society, was published in 2023.The Roadmap is based on the IEA’s Net Zero Emissions (NZE) Scenario, which portrays a pathway for the global energy sector to achieve net zero carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 2050 while maintaining energy security. This scenario…
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COP28: Tracking the Energy Outcomes
…For the first time, governments explicitly recognised that to achieve this target, energy-related emissions need to reach net zero by 2050, and they set key goals to help meet this objective – including tripling global renewable energy capacity and doubling global energy efficiency improvements by 2030, and deploying emerging technologies, such as low-emissions hydrogen and carbon capture.The IEA, in collaboration with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Secretariat, is tracking progress towards the energy objectives established at COP28. This forms part of our broader work, at the request of governments, to support the full and…
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Investment
…is poised to grow by 2% in 2025 to $3.3 trillion, reaching an all-time high despite elevated geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty. Around two-thirds of all energy investment, or $2.2 trillion, is destined for clean energy technologies such as renewable energy, grids, battery storage and electric vehicles. Meanwhile, investment in fossil fuels is expected to marginally contract to $1.1 trillion amid downward pressure on prices and pared-back expectations for oil demand.
Rapid growth in spending on energy transitions over the past five years was kicked off by post-pandemic recovery packages, but industrial strat... -
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Energy Innovation
…energy innovation has been a vital catalyst for progress – and underpins efforts to build a more secure, affordable and sustainable energy future.For more than five decades, the IEA has facilitated exchanges on energy technology developments among decision makers and international experts. Through our Energy Innovation Forum, our Technology Collaboration Programmes and more, the Agency enables important dialogues and information sharing to propel energy innovation forward. Our extensive data and analyses on energy innovation also provide crucial insights that equip the huge range of stakeholders in this space to make effective decisions and pursue ambitious goals – from academics and researchers…
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Climate Change
…Yet the production and consumption of energy is also responsible for 75% of greenhouse gas emissions, making it the primary driver of climate change.As temperatures around the world continue to break records, the case for swiftly transforming the global energy system has never been stronger. The IEA’s Net Zero Roadmap lays out a pathway for the world’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…
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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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Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as one of the most consequential technologies of our time. In recent years, the capabilities of AI systems have grown quickly due to improved computing power, a boom in data availability and breakthroughs in the design of AI models, leading to rapid adoption by both businesses and individuals. Though significant uncertainties remain, AI has the potential to transform the energy sector in the coming decade. It is set to drive a surge in electricity demand from data centres around the world while also unlocking significant opportunities to cut costs, enhance competitiveness and reduce emissions.To…
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Access and Affordability
…Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Uganda and Zambia, with the aim of promoting sustainable and inclusive economic growth through the transition towards a low-carbon and climate-resilient energy sector, while delivering universal and affordable energy access to all. Today, 730 million people around the world live without access to electricity, while over 2 billion people continue to rely on harmful cooking fuels such as charcoal, wood, agricultural waste and animal dung – the use of which is a leading cause of premature death and serious health issues in many of the poorest regions of the world.The IEA is at the forefront…
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Energy and Water
Energy and water are deeply and fundamentally connected Water is essential for almost every aspect of producing energy, from electricity generation to fossil fuel extraction to biofuels cultivation. In fact, the energy sector accounts for roughly 10% of all global freshwater withdrawals. Meanwhile, energy is crucial to maintaining global water supply. It is needed to extract water from lakes, rivers and oceans; lift groundwater from aquifers and pump it through pipes and canals; and treat water and deliver it to users.This interdependence is set to intensify in the coming years. Each resource faces rising demand and growing constraints in many…
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Energy and Gender
…develop. The initiative, which was formerly known as C3E International, works to improve gender-disaggregated data in the energy sector, honour women in energy leadership roles, and elevate best practices and policies, with access to the 6,000 experts participating in the IEA’s energy technology network. Learn more here. We highlight the important role of diversity and gender equality in unlocking the talent and capabilities needed to achieve our shared energy and climate objectives. Key findings Its goals include supporting gender equality, inclusion and opportunity at the IEA, which is part of modernisation strategy adopted by the IEA Secretariat…