-
Emission reductions
… Energy efficiency can reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and air pollutants and make the energy system more sustainable. Key facts Since 2010, efficiency measures avoided energy-related carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions equivalent to nearly 20% of the global total in 2023. This is more than the entire energy-related emissions of India and the European Union combined. Accelerating efficiency improvements could deliver a third of all energy-related CO₂ emission reductions between now and 2030 in a pathway aligned with reaching net zero emissions by 2050 – the largest share of any sector or technology. Energy efficiency also improves air quality…
-
Denmark
…in decarbonisation and in 2022 the government announced a net zero by 2045 target, aiming at 110% emissions reductions by 2050. Denmark’s technology leadership is important in the areas of offshore wind, biomethane and district heating. The government has expanded these categories to adopt a strategic focus on carbon capture and storage (CCUS) and hydrogen. The government has a robust energy and climate governance under the Danish Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities and ‘the year wheel’ of Climate Act of 2020 ensures annual policy actions and funding. Among IEA countries, Denmark has the highest share of wind electricity…
- Overview
- Energy mix
- Emissions
- Electricity
-
+ 5 pages
![Denmark Flag]()
-
International collaboration continues to power innovation in energy technologies
…development and commercialisation of energy technologies – and to bring valuable knowledge to policymakers worldwide. Over the past five decades, some 80 TCPs have been created, and today there are 38 active groups covering nearly every aspect of the energy ecosystem – from renewables and smart grids to hydrogen, carbon capture, fossil energy and next-generation fuels.The TCPs currently involve thousands of experts from approximately 300 public and private organisations across around 60 countries. This includes representatives of non-IEA Member countries. Many of the original initiatives remain active today, continuously evolving to meet emerging technological breakthroughs and global energy challenges…
-
Global Methane Tracker 2026 Strategies to speed action
…savings on revenues, and those who own the gas may not recognise its full value. Upfront investment can be hard to secure, especially in developing economies. Companies may lack the needed staff or specialised services to tackle the problem. And in some cases, they have yet to find a workable way – or a convincing business case – to put captured gas to productive use.Overcoming these barriers will require co-operation between governments, industry, financiers, international organisations and civil society. Governments can mandate disclosure of methane-related metrics. Investors and lenders can help by factoring methane into their decisions, working with…
-
Biofuels
Country and regional highlights
The United States Inflation Reduction Act makes USD 9.4 billion available for biofuels
Energy
Biofuel demand increased by 6% in 2022, continuing the recent pace of growth
Technology deployment
Biofuel production technology needs to diversify to sustainably take advantage of existing waste and residue feedstocks
Innovation
Technologies that can convert woody feedstocks into biofuels need to be proven at scale in the next few years
Supporting infrastructure
Policy
Investment
-
Pledges to Progress 2025
An assessment of transparency of the oil and gas industry’s emissions reduction efforts At COP28, more than 50 of the world’s leading oil and gas companies launched the Oil and Gas Decarbonization Charter (OGDC), laying out a series of ambitions to achieve net zero operational emissions by 2050. As global methane and flaring emissions continue to rise, these ambitions are more important than ever to reduce energy waste and mitigate the harmful consequences of climate change.To support accountability and transparency, the International Energy Agency (IEA), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO) and…
-
China
China’s growing energy needs are increasingly met by renewables, natural gas and electricity. The scale of China’s future electricity demand and the challenge of decarbonising the power supply help explain why global investment in electricity overtook that of oil and gas for the first time in 2016, and why electricity security is moving firmly up the policy agenda. That said, cost reductions for renewables are not sufficient on their own to secure efficient decarbonisation or reliable supply.
Between 2019 and 2024, China will account for 40% of global renewable capacity expansion, driven by improved system integration, lower curtailment…- Overview
- Energy mix
- Emissions
- Electricity
-
+ 5 pages
![China Flag]()
-
Korea
…energy use among IEA countries. Korea aims to leverage the fourth industrial revolution for its energy transition and to foster green growth by means of low-carbon technologies and clean energy. Due to Korea’s high share of coal-fired power generation, the carbon intensity of its electricity mix is above the IEA average. Korea’s private sector has a high capacity for technology innovation and its population has shown an almost unparalleled openness toward digitalisation. As a result, Korea’s energy transition is closely linked to efforts to spur investments in energy storage systems, smart grids and intelligent transport…
- Overview
- Energy mix
- Emissions
- Electricity
-
+ 5 pages
![Korea Flag]()
-
Scaling Up Transition Finance Sectoral insights
…essential to achieve net zero pathways, these technologies are still in the preliminary stages of commercial deployment. In the near-term, transition finance can support interim steps towards reaching near-zero emissions solutions.Critical minerals: As these are the material backbone of energy supply chains, scaling mining and refining is crucial to meeting increasing demand driven by energy applications such as electric vehicles, battery storage, renewables and grid networks. At the same time, the extraction and processing of minerals may have adverse impacts that require safeguards addressing not only greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions but also, among others, high water use…
-
Land-Use Competition between Biodiversity and Net Zero Goals
A case study of Canada Meeting global targets for energy, climate, and biodiversity conservation has major implications for land use. To ensure that the tripling of renewable energy capacity by 2030 aligns with the goal of protecting 30% of the planet’s land and water by the same date, robust mechanisms that direct solar and wind projects away from the world’s most biodiverse areas are needed. To address the potential impacts of renewable development on biodiversity, the IEA developed the Renewable Energy and Land-Use Model (REALM), which identifies areas of overlap between renewable projects, critical mineral mining, and…
