An Action Plan for Solving Our Climate Crisis Now

1.0
Electrify Transportation
Reduce 8 gigatons of transportation emissions to 2 gigatons by 2050.
1.1
Price

Achieve price parity between EVs and gas-powered vehicles in the U.S. by 2024, in India and China by 2030.

Updated April 2024
Insufficient Progress

$54,288 (average EV) vs. $47,209 (average full-size car) in the U.S.

Source: Kelley Blue Book, 2023

1.2
Cars

Increase EV sales to 50% of all new car sales by 2030, 95% by 2040.

Updated April 2024
On Track

EV share of car sales was 17.7% in 2023

(BEVs and PHEVs)

Source: BloombergNEF, 2024

1.3
Buses

Electrify all new buses by 2025.

Updated April 2024
Insufficient Progress

43% of new bus purchases were electric in 2023

Source: BloombergNEF, 2023

1.4
Trucks

Increase sales of zero-emissions medium and heavy trucks to 30% of all new truck sales by 2030; 95% by 2045.

Updated April 2024
Failing

Electric share of global truck sales was 2% in 2023

(BEVs, FCVs, and PHEVs)

Source: BloombergNEF, 2023

1.5
Miles ↓ 5 Gt

Increase miles driven by electric vehicles (two- and three-wheelers, cars, buses, and trucks) to 50% of the global total by 2040, 95% by 2050.

Updated April 2024
Insufficient Progress

EV global share of miles driven across road vehicles in 2022: 10.4%

(BEVs, FCVs, and PHEVs)

Source: BloombergNEF, 2023

1.6
Planes ↓ 0.3 Gt

Increase low-carbon fuel (SAF) to 20% of all aviation fuel by 2025; zero-emissions fuel to 40% by 2040.

Updated April 2024
Failing

0.4% of fuel use is low carbon (SAF)

Source: BloombergNEF, 2024

1.7
Maritime ↓ 0.6 Gt

Shift all new construction to “zero-ready” ships by 2030; zero out emissions for the shipping industry by 2050.

Updated April 2024
Failing

Zero percent of new ships are carbon-neutral

Source: Global Martime Forum, 2023

2.0
Decarbonize the Grid
Reduce 24 gigatons of global electricity and heating emissions to 3 gigatons by 2050.
2.1
Zero Emissions ↓ 16.5 Gt

Tap emissions-free sources to generate 50% of electricity worldwide by 2025, 90% by 2035.

Updated April 2024
Insufficient Progress

39% of electricity came from emissions free sources in 2022

Source: Energy Institute, 2023

2.2
Solar & Wind

Make solar and wind cheaper than fossil fuels in all countries by 2025.

Updated June 2024
On Track

59% of the world’s population lives in nations where renewable sources are cheaper than fossil fuels

Source: BloombergNEF, 2024

2.3
Storage

Electricity storage drops below $50 per kWh for short duration (4–24 hours) by 2025, $10 per kWh for long duration (14–30 days) by 2030.

Updated April 2024
Failing

Short-term storage: $263/kWh

Long-term storage: New technologies needed

Source: BloombergNEF, 2023

2.4
Coal & Gas

Eliminate new coal and gas plants from 2024 on; retire or zero out emissions in existing plants by 2025 for coal and by 2035 for gas.*

Updated April 2024
Code Red

Now in operation globally: 6,580 coal-fired plants and 9,278 gas and oil plants

Source: Global Energy Monitor, 2024

As of 2023, separate figures for oil and gas plants are not available.

 

2.5
Methane Emissions ↓ 3 Gt

Reduce flaring and eliminate leaks and venting from coal, oil, and gas sites by 2025.

Updated April 2024
Code Red

Methane emissions from the energy sector were 3 gigatons in 2023

2.6
Heating & Cooking ↓ 1.5 Gt

Cut fossil fuels for heating and cooking in half by 2040.*

Updated April 2024
Failing

In 2021, building heating generated 2.5 Gt of emissions and over 7 billion people used fossil fuels for cooking

2.7
Cleaner Economy

Triple the ratio of GDP to fossil fuel consumption.

Updated April 2024
Failing

Global average: $241 of GDP per Exajoule of Fossil Fuel Consumption

3.0
Fix Food
Reduce 9 gigatons of agricultural emissions to 2 gigatons by 2050.
3.1
Farm Soils ↓ 2 Gt

Improve soil health by increasing carbon content in topsoils to a minimum of 3% by 2035.

Updated May 2024
Limited Data

Limited Data

3.2
Fertilizers ↓ 0.5 Gt

Stop overuse of nitrogen-based fertilizers and develop cleaner alternatives to cut emissions in half by 2050.

Updated April 2024
Failing

The world uses 65.5 kilograms per hectare of nitrogen-based fertilizers

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization and Our World in Data, 2023

3.3
Cows ↓ 3 Gt

Cut emissions from beef and dairy consumption by 25% by 2030, 50% by 2050.

Updated April 2024
Code Red

3.3 gigatons of emissions from beef and dairy in 2021

3.4
Rice ↓ 0.5 Gt

Reduce methane and nitrous oxide from rice farming by 50% by 2050.

Updated April 2024
Failing

1.1 gigaton of CO2e resulting from rice production

Source: Our World in Data, 2024

3.5
Food Waste ↓ 1 Gt

Cut food waste to 10% by 2050.

Updated April 2024
Failing

38% of food in the US is wasted

Source: ReFed, 2022

4.0
Protect Nature
Go from 6 gigatons of emissions to -1 gigatons by 2050.
4.1
Forests ↓ 6 Gt

Achieve net zero deforestation by 2030; end logging and other destructive practices in primary forests.

Updated April 2024
Code Red

17.6 million hectares of permanent tree cover loss

Source: Global Forest Watch, 2022

4.2
Oceans ↓ 1 Gt

Protect 30% of oceans by 2030, 50% by 2050.

Updated April 2024
Failing

8.2% of coastal oceans are protected

Source: Protected Planet, 2024

4.3
Lands

Expand protected lands to 30% by 2030, 50% by 2050.

Updated April 2024
Failing

16% of global lands are protected

Source: Protected Planet, 2024

5.0
Clean Up Industry
Reduce 12 gigatons of industrial emissions to 4 gigatons by 2050.
5.1
Steel ↓ 3 Gt

Reduce emissions from steel production 50% by 2030, 90% by 2040.

Updated April 2024
Code Red

1.9 metric tons of CO2 per metric ton of crude steel cast

Source: WorldSteel, 2023

5.2
Cement ↓ 2 Gt

Reduce emissions from cement production 25% by 2030, 90% by 2040.

Updated April 2024
Code Red

0.6 metric tons of CO2 per metric ton of cement produced

5.3
Other Industries ↓ 3 Gt

Reduce emissions from other industrial sources (primarily plastics, chemicals, paper, aluminum, glass, and apparel) 60% by 2050.

Updated April 2024
Code Red

5 gigatons emitted from other industries

Source: Climate TRACE, 2024

6.0
Remove Carbon
Remove 10 gigatons of carbon dioxide per year from the atmosphere.
6.1
Nature-Based Removal ↓ 5 Gt

Remove at least 3 gigatons per year by 2030 and 5 gigatons by 2040.

Updated April 2024
Code Red

0.02 gigatons of nature-based carbon removal being tracked

Source: Climate Focus, 2024

6.2
Engineered Removal ↓ 5 Gt

Remove at least 1 gigaton per year by 2030 and 5 gigatons by 2050.

Updated April 2024
Code Red

Currently, 0.0002 gigatons are being removed annually

Source: CDR.fyi, 2024

7.1
Net Zero Pledges

Each country commits to reach net zero by 2050.*

Updated April 2024
Insufficient Progress

China: net zero by 2060

U.S.: net zero by 2050

EU: net zero by 2050

India: net zero by 2070

Russia: net zero by 2060

7.2
Action Plans

Each country is on track to cut emissions in half by 2030.

Updated April 2024
Code Red

2030 trajectory:

China: 4°C

US: 3°C

EU: 2°C

India: 4°C

Russia: 4°C

 

Source: Climate Action Tracker, 2023

7.3
Carbon Price

National prices on greenhouse gases are set at a minimum of $75 per ton, rising 5% annually.

Updated April 2024
Insufficient Progress

Global average price: $33 per ton

23% of global emissions are covered by a carbon pricing mechanism

 

7.4
Subsidies

Direct subsidies to fossil fuel companies are eliminated.

Updated April 2024
Code Red

$1.3 trillion in explicit fossil fuel subsidies globally

7.5
Methane

Control flaring, prohibit venting, and mandate prompt capping of methane leaks.

Updated April 2024
Code Red

Countries representing 50% of global methane emissions have signed the global methane pledge

Source: Global Methane Pledge, 2024

7.6
Refrigerants

Countries commit to phasing out hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).

Updated April 2024
On Track

All five major emitters have ratified the Kigali amendment

8.1
Voters

The climate crisis becomes a top-three issue.

Updated April 2024
Failing

Climate’s rank as top issue: seventh globally

Source: Ipsos, 2023

 

8.2
Government

A majority of key government officials support the drive to net zero.

Updated April 2024
Limited Data

Limited Data

8.3
Business

100% of Fortune Global 500 companies commit to reach net zero by 2050.

Updated April 2024
Failing

9.2% of Fortune Global 500 Companies have a net zero commitment

Source: Speed & Scale, 2024

Data is pulled from Fortune Global 500 websites to track emissions targets of each corporation

8.4
Education Equity

The world achieves universal primary and secondary education by 2040.

Updated April 2024
Failing

77% of students complete lower secondary school

Source: World Bank, 2023

8.5
Health Equity

The world eliminates gaps in pollution-linked mortality rates among racial and socioeconomic groups by 2040.

Updated April 2024
Failing

2.3 years (global average loss of life due to air pollution)

Source: Air Quality Life Index (AQLI), 2023

8.6
Economic Equity

The global clean energy transition creates 65 million fairly distributed new jobs by 2040, outpacing the loss of fossil fuel jobs.

Updated April 2024
Insufficient Progress

13.7 million people employed directly and indirectly

9.1
Batteries

10,000 GWh of batteries are produced annually at less than $80 per kWh by 2035.

Updated April 2024
On Track

Production: 2,592 per GWh

Price: $139 per kWh 

Source: BloombergNEF, 2023

9.2
Electricity

The cost of zero-emissions baseload power is lowered to $0.02 per kWh by 2030.

Updated April 2024
On Track

$0.03 per kWh for utility-scale onshore wind

$0.05 per kWh for utility-scale solar PV

9.3
Green Hydrogen

Cost of producing hydrogen from zero-emissions sources drops to $2 per kg by 2030, $1 per kg by 2040.

Updated April 2024
Failing

$2-$12 per kg, not currently produced at scale

Source: BloombergNEF, 2023

9.4
Carbon Removal

Cost of engineered carbon dioxide removal falls to $100 per ton by 2030, $50 per ton by 2040.

Updated April 2024
Code Red

Average of $715 per ton of carbon removed, not at scale

Source: CDR.fyi, 2024

9.5
Carbon-Neutral Fuels

Cost of synthetic fuel drops to $2.50 per gallon for jet fuel and $3.50 for gasoline by 2035.

Updated April 2024
Failing

Jet Fuel: $2.94 (Traditional) vs. $7.35 (Sustainable)

Vehicle Fuel: $4.02 (Diesel) vs. $4.76 (Biodiesel)

Source: International Air Transport Association, BloombergNEF, and Alternative Fuels Data Center, 2023

Diesel and Biodiesel are U.S. prices

10.1
Financial Incentives

Global government support and incentives for clean energy expand to $600 billion per year.

Updated April 2024
Limited Data

Limited Data

10.2
Government R&D

Public investment in sustainability research and development increases to $120 billion per year.

Updated April 2024
Insufficient Progress

Low carbon R&D globally: $23 billion

10.3
Venture Capital

Private investment into cleantech startups totals $50 billion per year.

Updated April 2024
Achieved

$51 billion invested in climate tech startups

Source: BloombergNEF, 2024

10.4
Project Financing

Clean energy project financing rises to $1 trillion per year.

Updated April 2024
On Track

Clean energy financing is at an all-time high, hitting $743 billion

Source: BloombergNEF, 2024

10.5
Philanthropy

Philanthropic dollars for tackling emissions grow to $30 billion per year.

Updated April 2024
Insufficient Progress

Less than 2% (between $8 billion and $13 billion) of philanthropic giving is dedicated to climate change mitigation

1.2 Cars

Increase EV sales to 50% of all new car sales by 2030, 95% by 2040.

2023
17.7%
of all new car sales are electric vehicles
2030
50%
of all new car sales are electric vehicles
2040
95%
of all new car sales are electric vehicles

How Is KR 1.2 Tracking?

Passenger vehicles account for roughly half of transport emissions. Global EV adoption is steadily gaining, with sales jumping from less than 3 percent of new passenger cars in 2019 to nearly 18 percent in 2023 and a projected 20 percent in 2024. Batteries are getting cheaper and better by the year. Close to four million public charging points are up and running. By the end of this year, nearly 60 million electric vehicles should be on the road.

This is all great news, but we can’t afford to be complacent. Over the last two years, the rate of EV growth has slowed worldwide. In crucial markets like India, Japan, and Brazil, the market share for electric vehicles is stuck under 5 percent. To sustain momentum and attain a 50 percent global share by 2030, we’ll need an ambitious leap in manufacturing, from around 14 million EVs per year to 40 million or more. 

Even with automakers investing heavily in electrification, we won’t hit this target without aggressive financial incentives to spur consumers to switch.

In a number of places, public policy is creating the future we need. In Norway, EVs accounted for more than 91 percent of new passenger car sales in 2023. In China, which accounts for around a third of the world’s auto sales, the EV share is pegged to reach 38 percent in 2024, despite an economic downturn and some signs of market saturation. Nearly 40 countries have committed to total phaseouts of gas-powered car sales by 2040. 

This is substantial progress by any measure. But to reach our targets, we’ll need to accelerate global EV adoption–especially in Europe and the United States, where legacy stalwarts like Volkswagen, GM, and Ford are struggling to make cars that are both profitable and popular. In the U.S., Tesla’s home base, EVs stand at around 9 percent of the new car market as of 2023.  We won’t stay on track with our 2040 goal–95 percent of new car sales–if automakers keep deferring their transition to a zero-emissions industry.

On Track

EV share of car sales was 17.7% in 2023

(BEVs and PHEVs)

Source: BloombergNEF, 2024

News for Cars

Explore more Key Results