-
World Energy Outlook 2025 Overview and key findings
Ten questions on the future of energy The Stated Policies Scenario (STEPS) and the Current Policies Scenario (CPS) present two views on how the energy system may evolve, building on different assumptions regarding today’s policies and technologies. Both scenarios see continued increases in energy demand to 2050, albeit at different speeds, with emerging market and developing economies driving the increase, led by India and Southeast Asia. Differences in the pace at which new technologies are brought into the energy system are reflected in the trajectories for fossil fuels. In the CPS, oil and natural gas demand continue to grow…
-
Alejandro Vas Corrales
Energy security researcher.
-
Global Methane Tracker 2026 Key findings
No sign that global energy-related methane emissions fell in 2025 despite progress in some areas The fossil fuel sector accounts for around 35% of methane emissions from human activity, yet there is still no sign that methane emissions from fossil fuel operations are falling, despite well-known and proven mitigation pathways. Oil, gas and coal production output reached record highs in 2025, and the International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that methane emissions from these activities total 124 million tonnes (Mt) a year: oil is the largest source at 45 Mt, followed by coal at 43 Mt, and natural gas at 36 Mt. A…
-
Gaining an Edge Energy demand and competitiveness
Energy is at the centre of competitiveness amid high costs, growing demand, and rising trade pressures Energy is a vital input into all productive sectors of the economy. In an environment of fierce global competition and shifting trade patterns, energy costs are a major determinant of long-term investment, jobs and business competitiveness. Finding ways to reduce energy costs while producing more or better products is good for both profitability and overall economic growth. While energy prices are volatile in many countries, recent high prices combined with instability and fragmentation in energy markets have widened energy price gaps between regions…
-
World Energy Investment 2025 Japan and Korea
Expanding power investment and keeping adequate electricity supply capacity will be crucial to meet rising electricity demand and ensure stable supply for the economies of Japan and Korea Japan and Korea are two of the most advanced economies in Asia, both having a strong focus on trade with a dependence on energy imports to meet demand. Energy security concerns are spurred by their low energy self-sufficiency rates, Japan at 13% and Korea at 19%. To reduce their reliance on imports and to promote the energy transition, both countries have made significant investment in clean energy, with 92% of total…
-
The State of Energy Innovation 2025 Executive summary
Today’s energy technology landscape is highly dynamic. Innovations span a wide range of countries and technology areas, both emerging and established. These advances have implications for energy system planning and, ultimately, for the world economy. Whether incremental or disruptive, they are the products of government support, market expectations, finance, knowledge-sharing and accessible R&D and test facilities. It is testament to the efforts of energy innovators around the world that decision makers today can choose from a range of technology options to address strategic goals for all parts of the energy system. However, technological progress to tackle existing…
-
Scaling Up Transition Finance Financial institutions and transition finance
A complementary source of finance for transitions Transition finance rests on a practical partnership between corporates and financiers. Successful transitions need finance that goes where the emissions are; this means moving beyond the top performers and working with corporates with material environmental footprints that commit to transition strategies. A common alternative strategy, in which financial institutions simply shift emissions off their balance sheets, creates “financial carbon leakage” and does not reduce real-economy emissions.An IEA survey of financial institutions revealed that differences in regional taxonomies and frameworks pose challenges for cross-border financing. At the same time, it highlighted…
-
Global Methane Tracker 2025 Accelerating industry action
Current oil and gas industry initiatives on methane A growing number of oil and gas companies have set methane targets, joining initiatives such as the Oil and Gas Methane Partnership 2.0 (OGMP 2.0), the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative (OGCI), the Oil and Gas Decarbonization Charter (OGDC), and the Methane Guiding Principles. OGMP 2.0 is the flagship oil and gas reporting and mitigation initiative of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Since 2023, around 20 new companies joined OGMP 2.0, bringing coverage to just over 40% of global oil and gas production.OGCI’s Aiming for Zero…
-
Global EV Outlook 2025 Trends in electric car affordability
Falling battery pack prices and intensifying competition underpin progress in electric car affordability Today, electric cars often have a lower total cost of ownership than ICE cars over the vehicle lifetime, due to reduced fuel and maintenance expenses. However, reducing the purchase price gap will be key to broader uptake. In Europe, for example, respondents to a 2023 survey by the European Commission identified the price of battery electric cars as the main barrier to adoption. While battery electric car prices generally fell in 2024, the price gap with ICE cars remains in most regions. Electric car affordability has made…
-
What Next for the Global Car Industry Executive summary
Fundamental shifts are reshaping global car markets The car industry is undergoing profound changes as electric car sales continue to rise and the geography of global car sales shifts. Global car sales approached 80 million in 2024 and have largely bounced back from their pandemic-related slump. Recent growth has been exclusively driven by sales of electric and hybrid cars, which made up around 30% of total car sales in 2024, while global sales of pure internal combustion engine (ICE) cars peaked in 2017 and have since fallen by 30%. By contrast, electric car sales grew more than 14-fold over…
