Lighting the Path: What IPCC energy pathways tell us about Paris-aligned policies and investments
This report outlines key implications for governments and investors aiming to align their policies and investments with the 1.5°C target of the Paris Agreement, based on different energy pathways published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in its Sixth Assessment Report, published in April 2022.
-
No new oil and gas fields should be developed, and no exploration conducted in order to limit warming to 1.5°C
-
By 2030, wind and solar deployment needs to be double the forecasted estimates under current policies; additional supportive policies are necessary to enable this growth.
-
There is an urgent need to plug the yearly USD 450 billion investment gap for wind and solar.
This report shows that significant structural changes are required in the energy sector to align with pathways limiting warming to 1.5°C. The pathways consistent with the IPCC’s assessment of feasible and sustainable deployment of Carbon Dioxide Removal and Carbon Capture and Storage technologies leave no room for delayed action. The oil and gas phase-out timelines presented in this report constitute the ambition level consistent with the best estimates of the current and future capacity of mitigation technologies. Accordingly, this report presents the key implications for governments and financial institutions aiming to align their policies and investments with feasible 1.5°C pathways. Its recommendations are designed to guide the understanding of the Paris alignment, consistent with the IPCC findings, and should inform plans to strengthen and amplify policy interventions.
Participating experts
You might also be interested in
Carbon Pricing in the ASEAN Region: Moving from ambition to architecture
For ASEAN policy-makers, carbon pricing is no longer simply a domestic climate policy choice. It is increasingly linked to global economic integration, trade relationships, investment flows, and industrial competitiveness.
Bonn Climate Talks 2026: What to expect after Santa Marta
With UN climate talks starting in Bonn soon, the shift to implementation is being felt, especially in the transition away from fossil fuels.
May 2026 | Carbon Minefields Oil and Gas Exploration Monitor
For the second month in a row, the United States has dominated new licensing activity, awarding 74 new exploration licences in April alone. If fully combusted this could emit 35.5 MtCO2.
Memorandum of Understanding Agreement Erodes Last Pillar of Canadian Climate Policy
The governments of Canada and Alberta have announced new details on an oil pipeline while significantly weakening the industrial carbon price. Doubling down on oil and gas while much of the world is transitioning away from fossil fuels sets Canada on a path toward greater economic risk and worsening climate impacts.