Five steps to get industries on track for net zero

Net zero emissions by 2050 cannot be achieved without radically accelerating the decarbonization of heavy industries.

The World Economic Forum’s first Net Zero Industry Tracker, developed in collaboration with Accenture, reveals the scale of the challenge and sheds light on how industries can get on track for net zero.

Addressing data gaps will improve visibility on solution levers and accelerate the pace of progress.

Actions that will advance the technologies, infrastructures, demand signals, policies and investments required for net zero success are even more urgent.

Today, industrial sectors account for nearly 40% of global energy consumption and more than 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions. The five industries of steel, cement, aluminium, ammonia as well as oil and gas, generate approximately 80% of these emissions. Demand for energy and industrial products is forecasted to increase by further 30% to 80% by 2050. If the decarbonisation of industries does not radically pick up pace, industrial emissions will only rise with demand. This would mean the world’s ambition to achieve net zero can be pushed further out of reach.