Demand for fossil fuels is expected to peak this decade
Energy sector carbon emissions to peak in 2025 – IEA
New policies in the EU, the US and China will cause emissions to peak this decade, the first time this has been forecast in an IEA Steps scenario
New policies announced by governments around the world mean global energy‐related CO₂ emissions will peak in 2025, according to the IEA’s most recent World Energy Outlook. The US Inflation Reduction Act, the EU’s RepowerEU package and new targets in China mean that annual clean energy investment will rise to $2tn by 2030 from $1.3tn today, according to the IEA’s stated policies scenario (Steps) which is based on concrete actions taken by nations. This will cause demand for fossil fuels to peak this decade—the first time this has been forecast in an IEA Steps scenario. The scenario shows global energy‐related CO2 emissions peaking at 37gt/yr in 2025, before falling back to 32gt/yr by 2050. Th
Also in this section
28 November 2025
The launch of the bloc’s emissions trading system in 2005 was a pioneering step, but as the scheme hits 21 its impact as a driver of decarbonisation is still open to debate
18 November 2025
Vicki Hollub, president and CEO of Occidental, has been selected as the 2026 recipient of the Dewhurst Award, the highest honour bestowed by WPC Energy. The Dewhurst Award celebrates exceptional leadership, groundbreaking innovation and a lifetime of significant achievements in sup-port of the development and advancement of the energy industry.
11 November 2025
Transition policies must recognise that significant industrial demand for carbon will continue even as economies hit net zero
6 November 2025
After years of pursuing ideologically driven climate leadership, Western powers are now stepping back under mounting political pressure and rising populist opposition—prompting concern essential climate action could be sidelined
