The International Energy Agency says sales of electric cars will reach an all-time high in 2022, but more work is needed to put the world on a net-zero path.

Sales of electric cars are on track to reach an all-time high this year, but more work is needed in other sectors to put the planet on course to net zero emissions by 2050, according to the International Energy Agency.

In an announcement accompanying the Clean Energy Progress Tracking Update, the IEA said there were “encouraging signs of progress in a number of sectors” but cautioned that “strong efforts” are needed to put the world “on track to reach net zero emissions” by the middle of this century. .

TCEP, published annually, examines 55 parts of the power system. Focusing on 2021, he analyzed the progress of these components when it comes to hitting “key milestones over the medium term by the end of this decade,” as laid out in the Paris-based institution’s net-zero trajectory.

On the electric vehicle front, the International Energy Agency said global sales doubled in 2021 to represent nearly 9% of the car market. Looking ahead, “2022 was expected to see another spike in electric vehicle sales ever, taking them to 13% of all light vehicle sales globally.”

The International Energy Agency previously reported that sales of electric vehicles reached 6.6 million in 2021. In the first quarter of 2022, sales of electric vehicles reached 2 million, an increase of 75% compared to the first three months of 2021.

The International Energy Agency has said that both electric vehicles and lighting – with more than 50% of the global market now using LED technology – are “on track to achieve the 2030 milestones” in a net-zero scenario by 2050.

Despite the forecasts for electric vehicles, the International Energy Agency separately noted that “it has not yet been a global phenomenon. Sales in developing and emerging countries have been slow due to high purchase costs and lack of charging infrastructure.”

In general, the rest of the picture is more difficult. The International Energy Agency noted that 23 regions were “not on the right track”, with another 30 deemed to need more effort.

“Areas that are not on the right track include improving energy efficiency in building designs, developing clean and efficient district heating systems, phasing out coal power generation, eliminating methane burning, converting aviation and shipping to cleaner fuels, and making cement, chemical and steel production cleaner.” The International Energy Agency said.

The shadow of the 2015 Paris Agreement looms large over the IEA report. Described by the United Nations as a “legally binding international treaty on climate change”, the agreement aims to “limit global warming to well below 2, preferably 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels”.

Reducing man-made carbon dioxide emissions to net zero by 2050 is seen as critical when it comes to achieving the 1.5°C target.

In a statement issued Thursday, the Executive Director of the International Energy Agency, Fatih Birol, sounded cautiously optimistic. “There are more indications than ever that the new global energy economy is progressing strongly,” he said.

“This reaffirms my belief that today’s global energy crisis can be a tipping point towards a cleaner, safer and more affordable energy system,” he added.

“But this new IEA analysis shows the need for greater and sustained effort across a range of technologies and sectors to ensure that the world can achieve its energy and climate goals.”

The IEA report comes at a time when debate and debate over climate goals and the energy future is becoming increasingly fierce.

This week, the United Nations Secretary-General said advanced economies should levy an additional tax on fossil fuel companies’ profits, while funneling money to countries affected by climate change and families struggling with a cost-of-living crisis.

In a wide-ranging address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Antonio Guterres described the fossil fuel industry as “enjoying hundreds of billions of dollars in subsidies and windfall profits while household budgets shrink and our planet burns.”