Fatih Birol, executive director of the IEA
IEA given climate mandate
Ministers from 31 member countries give body new guiding principle of supporting decarbonisation efforts
The IEA has been given an official mandate by energy ministers to support countries in reaching their net-zero targets. The traditional role of the IEA has been to ensure global energy security, but ministers from the 31 member countries said in a statement following the latest ministerial meeting that this was the launch of a new phase for the agency. “In addition to ensuring global energy security, the IEA has a new guiding principle: supporting countries in the global effort to attain net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in the energy sector by mid-century,” says the statement. “We resolve to accelerate clean energy transitions as a lasting solution to prevent energy price spikes, such as th
Also in this section
28 November 2025
The launch of the bloc’s emissions trading system in 2005 was a pioneering step, but as the scheme hits 21 its impact as a driver of decarbonisation is still open to debate
18 November 2025
Vicki Hollub, president and CEO of Occidental, has been selected as the 2026 recipient of the Dewhurst Award, the highest honour bestowed by WPC Energy. The Dewhurst Award celebrates exceptional leadership, groundbreaking innovation and a lifetime of significant achievements in sup-port of the development and advancement of the energy industry.
11 November 2025
Transition policies must recognise that significant industrial demand for carbon will continue even as economies hit net zero
6 November 2025
After years of pursuing ideologically driven climate leadership, Western powers are now stepping back under mounting political pressure and rising populist opposition—prompting concern essential climate action could be sidelined
