Against the backdrop of turbulent markets and the UN climate change meeting in Glasgow, the 2021 World Energy Outlook provides an indispensable guide to the opportunities, benefits and risks ahead at this vital moment for clean energy transitions.
In 2020, even while economies bent under the weight of COVID-19 lockdowns, renewable sources of energy such as wind and solar PV continued to grow rapidly, and electric vehicles set new sales records. The new energy economy will be more electrified, efficient, interconnected and clean. Its emergence is the product of a virtuous circle of policy action and technology innovation, and its momentum is now sustained by lower costs. However, every data point showing the speed of change in energy can be countered by another showing the stubbornness of the status quo. This special edition of the World Energy Outlook has been designed to assist decision-makers at COP26 and beyond by describing the key decision points that can move the energy sector onto safer ground.
The World Energy Outlook is the energy world’s most authoritative source of analysis and projections. This flagship publication of the International Energy Agency (IEA) has appeared every year since 1998. Its objective data and dispassionate analysis provide critical insights into global energy supply and demand in different scenarios and the implications for energy security, climate targets and economic development.