Wednesday 16 June 2021

Fossil fuel share of global energy mix is ‘just as high as a decade ago’

Despite the continued wave of renewable energy targets and new climate commitments, a new report suggests fossil fuels still dominate the global energy mix.

The Renewables Global Status report by REN21 suggests that the share of fossil fuels in the total energy mix is just as high as a decade ago.

It estimates that fossil fuels had an 80.3% share in the global energy mix in 2009, compared to 80.2% in 2019.

Renewables such as solar and wind made up just 11.2% of the energy mix in 2019, compared to 8.7% in 2009, the report suggests.

The analysis also notes that by 2020, 15 countries of the G20 group did not even have a renewable energy target that covered all sectors including power, transport, heating, cooling and industry.

It shows that five G20 countries with renewable energy targets for total final energy consumption barely met their goals last year despite a 'historic decline' in energy consumption.

Italy, Germany and the European block have achieved to reach their targets while France and the UK came a little behind their goals, according to the report.

The REN21 report highlights the need for governments to encourage more renewable development to decarbonise all sectors.

Rana Adib, REN21’s Executive Director, said: “We are waking up to the bitter reality that the climate policy promises over the past ten years have mostly been empty words. The share of fossil fuels in final energy consumption has not moved by an inch.

"Phasing them out and making renewables the new norm are the strongest actions we can take."