Net zero by 2050: 9 charts showing the world's progress

To reach net zero carbon dioxide emissions and create carbon-neutral economies, countries have to ensure that for all the CO2 they emit, they remove an equal amount from the atmosphere — or not emit any in the first place. Turning away from coal, oil and gas would be an important first step toward carbon neutrality.

#1 How much do we rely on fossil fuels?

Most economies are still heavily dependent on fossil fuels, while the share of renewables in the mix is growing slowly but steadily.

According to British Energy Institute, a business association for companies working in the energy sector, the 2023 regional leaders in energy consumption from renewable sources are Norway in Europe (72%), Brazil in the Americas (50%) and New Zealand (43%) and Vietnam (23%) in the Asia & Pacific region.

Meanwhile, countries like Algeria, Oman, Kuwait, Bangladesh and Singapore still rely on fossil fuels for more than 98% of their energy. At 88%, Poland consumes the highest share of fossil fuel in Europe.

However, the hot spots for coal-fired power plants are located elsewhere. Of the 6,525 operational sites, China is home to 3,168, followed by India (845) and the US (408). Their top three positions are untouched by the fact that they have collectively mothballed, retired and cancelled 3,927 coal-fired plants since 2000, according to the Global Energy Monitor, an NGO curating data on fossil fuel and renewable energy projects worldwide.

To uphold the Paris Agreement and limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) compared to pre-industrial levels, the world needs to withdraw from coal fast. According to the Berlin-based think tank Climate Analytics, it would require an 80% reduction of global 2020 levels — around 9,300 terawatt-hours — to 1,700 TWh before the end of the decade.

#2 Where is the energy for heating and electricity coming from?

The overall energy consumption outlined above is divided into three sectors: energy used for transport, electricity and heating. 

Heat is the largest energy end use, according to an analysis by Paris-based International Energy Agency. "Providing heating for homes, industry and other applications accounts for around half of total energy consumption," said the intergovernmental organization.

Currently, about 14% of heat is produced from renewable sources and the IEA projects this share will increase to 18% by 2028.

In shared rental apartment buildings, choosing the energy source used for heating is not always an option, but consumers often have a choice when it comes to sourcing electricity.

Countries in the Middle East source the smallest share of their electricity from renewables (4%). Other regions like Africa (24%) and particularly Latin America and the Caribbean (62%) fare much better — especially considering that all three regions produce similar amounts of energy.

Electricity generation is also relevant to the transition of the transportation sector to a carbon-neutral future. Electric vehicles would not be climate friendly if the energy used to charge them was generated using fossil fuels.

#3 How is the transport sector changing?

Progress is slow. While overall car sales are declining, the vast majority of new buys are still combustion engine models. Of the 76.1 million cars sold in 2023, 18% (almost 14 million) were electric.

For other means of polluting transportation, such as aviation, no real alternatives exist yet. That said, Airbus has said it is planning to develop a hydrogen-powered aircraft for commercial travel by 2035.

#4 How well are we protecting ecosystems?

In short: not well enough. While there have been various forest expansion efforts around the world over the past few decades — peaking between 2000 and 2010, with 10 million new hectares (24.7 million acres) per year — deforestation has occurred at a faster rate.

The net change in forest area over the past decades shows how current efforts to plant new trees in South America and Africa fall far short of making up for those felled.

This is particularly noteworthy since both regions have a leading share in the area of forests within protected areas — calling into question how effective protective areas really are.

#5 How has investment in renewables evolved?

Renewables are on an upward trajectory. According to the International Energy Agency, other sources of energy attracted more investment than fossil fuels in recent years. While in 2015, more than half of all investments went into fossil fuels, in 2024 this is estimated to be down to a third.

Edited by: Anke Rasper & Tamsin Walker

This article was originally published in 2021. It was updated in November 2024 to reflect recent developments.

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