The IEA recently convened a workshop on sustainable fuels, bringing together more than 80 experts from governments, industry, international organizations and civil society to discuss how to support their adoption around the world.
The event on 29 April, which was hosted in collaboration with Brazil's COP30 Presidency, underscored the critical importance of establishing a global level of ambition for the deployment of sustainable fuels and the need to seek international alignment across carbon accounting frameworks.
Sustainable fuels, such as liquid biofuels, biogases, hydrogen and hydrogen-based fuels, complement the electrification of the energy sector and energy efficiency measures. They help reduce emissions in sectors that are hard to abate while also supporting energy diversification, security and economic development opportunities.
Demand for sustainable fuels is set to expand by 35% by 2030 based on today's policies and market conditions. However, many sustainable fuels are not on track to meet long-term global emissions reduction goals.
The workshop featured dedicated discussions on four topics - transport, industry, finance and the role of international dialogue. Participants were invited to share their perspectives on:
- The challenges and barriers to creating demand for sustainable fuels in the transport and industry sectors;
- Policy incentives, financing mechanisms and best practices that can address these challenges;
- Strategic guidance for an upcoming IEA report on pathways for sustainable fuels over the next decade, which is being prepared in support of Brazil's COP30 presidency.
In addition, participants highlighted the critical role of creating public procurement programmes, expanding trade, supporting innovation and developing sector-specific approaches to accelerate sustainable fuel use.
The event formed part of the IEA's ongoing efforts to facilitate international collaboration and policy development on sustainable fuels, including in support of Brazil's COP30 Presidency. It built on guidance provided to the Global Biofuels Alliance launched during India's G20 Presidency in 2023, as well as a pair of IEA reports, Carbon Accounting for Sustainable Biofuels and Common Criteria for Sustainable Fuels, which were prepared in support of Brazil's G20 Presidency in 2024. The latest edition of the IEA's annual report on the renewables sector also included a special chapter on sustainable fuel markets.
