The future of Rail is the latest in the IEA series shining a light on “blind spots” in the energy system, which are issues that deserve more attention from policymakers. It was released recently in New Delhi by IEA Executive Director, Dr Fatih Birol, at an event attended by India’s Minister of Railways, Piyush Goyal.
The transport sector is responsible for almost one-third of final energy demand, nearly two-thirds of oil demand and nearly one-quarter of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from fuel combustion. Therefore, changes in transportation are fundamental to achieving energy transitions globally. While the rail sector carries 8 per cent of the world’s passengers and 7 per cent of global freight transport, it represents only 2 per cent of total transport energy demand, highlighting its efficiency.
“The rail sector can provide substantial benefits for the energy sector as well as for the environment,” said Dr Fatih Birol. “By diversifying energy sources and providing more efficient mobility, rail can lower transport energy use and reduce carbon dioxide and local pollutant emissions.”
The Future of Rail includes a base scenario that projects the evolution of the railways sector to 2050 on the basis of announced policies, regulations and projects.
