2023 in numbers: 5 stats that show progress on the climate crisis
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The switch to clean energy has gained momentum in response to the evolving climate crisis, but there remains much work to do.
2023 was a year of climate ups and downs.
Decarbonisation progressed across several fronts, including the rapid growth of renewable energy, improving energy efficiency and shifting to electric vehicles. But it was also the hottest year ever recorded, with the planet 1.48℃ warmer than pre-industrial times,1 underlining the need for continued urgent action on the climate crisis.
These five statistics highlight advances made on the energy transition in 2023.
?? 31%
Global electric and plug-in hybrid vehicle sales increased 31% year-on-year in 2023.2 The share of EVs in passenger car sales during the past five years has risen from 1.6% in 2018 to 10% in 2022.3
?? $1.7 trillion
More than $1.7 trillion was invested in the energy transition in 2023?, as public equity markets, banks and a rapidly expanding private market saw historic acceleration in activity.??
?? 20%
The European Union introduced new nature restoration legislation to restore at least 20% of the bloc’s land and seas by the end of the decade, and 90% of degraded habitats by 2050.?
?? 510 gigawatts
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A “massive” expansion of renewable power saw 510 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity added to global energy systems,? representing more than 50% growth in 2023 compared to 2022. China, Europe and the U.S. set new records for solar installations in a single year.?
?? 45%
Investments in technologies to improve energy efficiency have grown 45% since 2020,? with notably strong growth in EVs and heat pumps. Globally, energy efficiency is an increasing focus for policymakers – to enhance energy security and affordability, and accelerate the transition to clean energy.
Read our full Sustainability Trends Report to learn more about the investments driving the world towards a cleaner future.
[1] Copernicus Climate Change Service, Global Climate Highlights 2023 – https://climate.copernicus.eu/copernicus-2023-hottest-year-record#:~:text=Not%20only%20is%202023%20the,least%20the%20last%20100%2C000%20years.%E2%80%9D?
[2] Reuters, Global electric car sales rose 31% in 2023 - Rho Motion – https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/global-electric-car-sales-rose-31-2023-rho-motion-2024-01-11/
[3] World Resources Institute, State of Climate Action 2023 – https://www.wri.org/research/state-climate-action-2023???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
[4] International Energy Agency, World Energy Investment in 2023 – https://www.iea.org/reports/world-energy-investment-2023/overview-and-key-findings
[5] European Parliament, EU Nature Restoration Law – https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20231031IPR08714/eu-nature-restoration-law-meps-strike-deal-to-restore-20-of-eu-s-land-and-sea
[6] IEA, Massive expansion of renewable power –? https://www.iea.org/news/massive-expansion-of-renewable-power-opens-door-to-achieving-global-tripling-goal-set-at-cop28
[7] AP, The year in clean energy – https://apnews.com/article/solar-wind-batteries-clean-energy-fossil-fuels-3bbcbc555b6ff2af27e0ceeb76eb782e
[8] IEA, Energy Efficiency 2023 – https://www.iea.org/reports/energy-efficiency-2023/executive-summary