IEA warns of investment chasm
Energy funding poised to plunge as renewables fare better than fossil fuels
Global investment in the energy sector will contract sharply in 2020, with governments prioritising control of the Covid-19 pandemic and many economies able to reopen only partially. In its World Energy Investment 2020 report, the IEA estimates that global investment could decline by 20pc—the largest slump ever recorded. The oil sector will be the most severely impacted, with the agency warning investment will fall by a third this year. Consumer spending will decline by an enormous $1tn. Oil companies have shelved or delayed spending in 2020 to combat the financial impact of Covid-19 and sunken oil prices. Oil demand fell by 25mn bl/d year-on-year in April, when global lockdowns were at thei
Also in this section
9 January 2026
A shift in perspective is needed on the carbon challenge, the success of which will determine the speed and extent of emissions cuts and how industries adapt to the new environment
2 January 2026
This year may be a defining one for carbon capture, utilisation and storage in the US, despite the institutional uncertainty
23 December 2025
Legislative reform in Germany sets the stage for commercial carbon capture and transport at a national level, while the UK has already seen financial close on major CCS clusters
15 December 2025
Net zero is not the problem for the UK’s power system. The real issue is with an outdated market design in desperate need of modernisation






