Net-Zero Industry Tracker

The 2024 Net-Zero Industry Tracker finds that while hard-to-abate sectors reduced absolute emissions by 0.9% between 2022 and 2023, the current pace is insufficient for net-zero goals. An estimated $30 trillion in additional capital is required by 2050, with 57% needing to come from the broader ecosystem for clean energy infrastructure. Readiness is hindered by high green premiums, slow infrastructure deployment for hydrogen and CCUS, and fragmented policy support, although generative AI is identified as a tool to improve capital efficiency by 5-7%.

• Hard-to-abate sectors achieved a reduction in absolute emissions of 0.9% between 2022 and 2023, contrasting with a 1.3% increase in total global energy-related emissions.
• Average emissions intensity across the eight sectors decreased by 4.1% from 2019 to 2023, with a 1.2% drop in the most recent year (2022-2023).
• An estimated $30 trillion in additional capital is required by 2050 for the tracked sectors, representing approximately 45% of the total incremental net-zero investment needed globally by 2050.
• Of the $30 trillion required, 57% ($17 trillion) must be provided by the broader ecosystem for clean energy infrastructure, while 43% ($13 trillion) is the responsibility of the sectors themselves.
• Generative AI could potentially reduce the capital requirements for the net-zero transition in hard-to-abate sectors by $1.5-2 trillion by improving capital efficiency by 5-7%.
• Infrastructure for clean hydrogen and carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) is severely lagging, currently addressing less than 1% of the requirements for the sectors in scope.
• The cost of net-zero base material products is estimated to increase by 40-70%, creating high green premiums that hinder the scaling of clean demand.
• Global carbon-pricing instruments as of 2024 cover only 24% of global emissions, and increased protectionism through tariffs on green products is adding to green premiums.
• The aviation sector requires over $5 trillion in cumulative investments by 2050, with 52% for fuel production and 36% for upstream renewable electricity generation.
• The shipping industry requires approximately $2.6 trillion by 2050, with $2 trillion for zero-emission fuel (ZEF) production and $0.6 trillion for fleet retrofitting.
• The trucking industry needs up to $9 trillion in additional cumulative investments by 2050, which equates to an additional $320 billion annually.
• The steel sector requires an estimated $3.6 trillion in additional investment, with nearly 70% expected from the ecosystem for low-emission energy capacity.
• The cement industry requires $1.42 trillion in additional capital by 2050, with 69% of the funding coming from within the sector, primarily for CCUS and material efficiency.
• The primary chemicals industry requires over $6.5 trillion in additional cumulative investments by 2050, with 60% allocated to green ammonia.
• The oil and gas industry requires an estimated $1.1 trillion by 2050, with the largest share ($780 billion) dedicated to electrification and efficiency.

APA

World Economic Forum (2024). Net-Zero Industry Tracker. https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Net_Zero_Industry_Tracker_2024.pdf

Chicago

World Economic Forum. Net-Zero Industry Tracker. 2024. https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Net_Zero_Industry_Tracker_2024.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Economic Forum |title=Net-Zero Industry Tracker |date=December 2024 |url=https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Net_Zero_Industry_Tracker_2024.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldeconomicforum2024netzero, author = {{World Economic Forum}}, title = {{Net-Zero Industry Tracker}}, institution = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2024}, month = dec, url = {https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Net_Zero_Industry_Tracker_2024.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }