The Breakthrough Agenda Report 2022

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 3

The Breakthrough Agenda Report 2022 is a new report by the International Energy Agency (IEA), the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the UN Climate Change High-Level Champions, focused on supporting stronger international collaboration to drive faster reductions in global greenhouse gas emissions.

• The first annual Breakthrough Agenda Report, delivers a progress report on the actions needed to deliver on the historic clean technology commitment by governments.
• The report puts forward 25 recommendations for leaders to discuss at the Global Clean Energy Action Forum and the 13th Clean Energy Ministerial to be held in Pittsburgh, the US.

Key Highlights of Report

• The Breakthrough Agenda currently covers more than two-thirds of the global economy, with endorsement from 45 world leaders. The G7 countries, China and India are also part of the Agenda.
• The Breakthrough Agenda aims to align the actions of countries and coordinate investment to scale up deployment and drive down costs across five key sectors i.e. power, road transport, steel, hydrogen and agriculture.
• All these sectors account for nearly 60 percent of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and they deliver the bulk of the emission reductions needed by 2030 in a way that makes a significant contribution to limit global warming to a maximum of 1.5 degrees Celsius, in line with the Paris Agreement goals.It aims at supporting stronger international collaboration to amplify ambition, accelerate progress and drive faster reductions in global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. To align countries’ actions and coordinate investment to scale up deployment and drive do down costs across five key sectors power, road transport, steel, hydrogen and agriculture
• Together, these sectors account for nearly 60% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and could deliver the bulk of emissions reductions needed by 2030 in a pathway that would make a significant contribution to limiting global warming to a maximum of 1.5 degrees Celsius, in line with the Paris Agreement goals.

Key Findings

• The report notes an increase in practical international cooperation in recent years such as doubling of EV sales, increase in global renewable capacity of eight per cent in 2022 — pushing through the 300GW mark for the first time.
• The report also warns that far greater international cooperation is needed to get the world on track to meet its climate commitment.
• The world is undergoing the midst of the first of its kind global energy crisis, with devastating knock-on consequences across the world economy, especially in developing countries. 
• The energy crisis has been witnessed in oil, gas and electricity markets and aggravated by Pandemic, Oil Prices and Russia-Ukraine conflict.
• The consequent climate crisis has exposed the weaknesses and vulnerabilities of a system heavily reliant on fuels of the 20th century

International Energy Agency

• It was established in the framework of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in 1974 in the wake of the 1973 oil crisis.
• IEA is an autonomous intergovernmental organisation.
• Its mission is guided by four main areas of focus: energy security, economic development, environmental awareness, and engagement worldwide.
• Headquarters: Paris, France.
• The IEA’s role was to help countries co-ordinate a collective response to major disruptions to oil supply primarily through the release of emergency oil stocks onto the markets. 
• While this continues to be a key aspect of its work, the IEA has evolved and expanded.
• The IEA is at the heart of global energy dialogue, and works closely with its member and non-member countries to find solutions to shared energy and environmental concerns. 
• It is one of the world’s most authoritative sources for energy statistics, and produces annual studies and forecasts on oil, natural gas, coal, electricity and renewables.

Reports by IEA

• Global Energy & CO2 Status Report.
• World Energy Outlook.
• World Energy Statistics.
• World Energy Balances.
• Energy Technology Perspectives.

Membership

• The IEA family is made up of 31 member countries, 11 association countries, and 3 accession countries.
• Three countries are seeking accession to full membership, Chile, Colombia and Israel.