Pathways to 1.5°C

RMI proposes that a nearly 100 percent renewable energy system is achievable by the mid-2050s by applying market adoption 'S-curves' seen in previous industrial revolutions to clean energy technologies. The briefing emphasizes that the transition is driven by declining costs, electrification of end-uses, and decentralized adoption rather than solely by government mandates. To meet the 1.5°C target, the document asserts that the energy sector must be paired with high-impact measures in the agricultural, forestry, and land-use (AFOLU) sectors to create net carbon sinks by mid-century.

• A global energy system powered almost entirely by renewable energy is possible by the mid-2050s, provided that clean energy technology adoption follows market diffusion trends similar to those of the automobile or cell phone.
• The transition to renewable energy is being accelerated by a 'disruptive industrial revolution' where private companies and customers drive growth based on economic value, rather than relying exclusively on top-down government mandates.
• Synergies between different technologies create reinforcing feedbacks; for instance, cheaper batteries simultaneously improve grid renewable penetration, energy flexibility, and electric vehicle deployment.
• Solar and wind costs continue to decline due to materials science, design improvements, and scaling. Solar prices for both rooftop and utility-scale installations were projected to drop nearly 30 percent by 2020.
• To achieve the 1.5°C goal, the agricultural, forestry, and land-use (AFOLU) sectors must be addressed. Five specific measures—afforestation, beef consumption reduction, grazing management, conservation agriculture, and biomass pyrolysis—could make these sectors net carbon dioxide sinks by 2050.
• Developing countries have the opportunity to 'leapfrog' traditional energy infrastructure by adopting hybrid distributed and centralized renewable grids. Notably, 47 members of the Climate Vulnerable Forum have pledged a transition to 100 percent renewable energy between 2030 and 2050.

APA

RMI (2016). Pathways to 1.5°C. https://rmi.org/resources/pathways-1-5c/

Chicago

RMI. Pathways to 1.5°C. 2016. https://rmi.org/resources/pathways-1-5c/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=RMI |title=Pathways to 1.5°C |date=8 December 2016 |url=https://rmi.org/resources/pathways-1-5c/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rmi2016pathways, author = {{RMI}}, title = {{Pathways to 1.5°C}}, institution = {RMI}, year = {2016}, month = dec, url = {https://rmi.org/resources/pathways-1-5c/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }