According to a ‘roadmap’ for decarbonising the energy sector, which was published on 18 May, the International Energy Agency (IEA) does not believe that it is necessary to invest in new fossil fuel projects to achieve zero net greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
The IEA emphasises that, “Beyond projects already committed as of 2021, there are no new oil and gas fields approved for development in our pathway, and no new coal mines or mine extensions are required”.
Inter alia, the Agency calls for a halt to sales of new cars with internal combustion engines by 2035, and for all unabated coal and oil power stations to be phased out by 2040, as well as a ban on the installation of new fossil fuel boilers from 2025 onwards.
It also recommends installing - on an annual basis, between now and 2030 - four times the new solar and wind capacities created in 2020, and calls for a global effort to increase energy efficiency in order to attain an average annual energy efficiency improvement rate of 4% during this decade. This is about three times the average rate achieved over the last two decades.
In the IEA’s scenario, the global energy system would be dominated by solar power in 2050, with fossil fuels providing only one-fifth of the world’s energy.
See the report: https://bit.ly/33SMCVP (Original version in French by Damien Genicot)