Editing IPCC:AR6/WGIII/Chapter-6 (section)

== 6.1 Introduction ==

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The global energy system is the largest source of CO 2 emissions (Chapter 2). Reducing energy sector emissions is therefore essential to limit warming. The energy systems of the future will be very different from those of today if the world successfully limits warming to well below 2°C. Energy will be provided, converted, and used in different ways than it is today (Figure 6.1). Achieving and responding to these changes presents an impressive range of challenges and opportunities.

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'''Figure 6.1 | Global energy flows within the 2019 global energy system (top panel) and within two illustrative future, net-zero CO''' 2 '''emissions global energy systems (bottom panels).''' Source: IEA, AR6 Scenarios Database. Flows below 1 EJ are not represented. Agricultural energy and energy own use are included in industry. Captured methane is included in natural gas supply where appropriate. The illustrative net-zero scenarios correspond to the years in which net energy system CO 2 emissions reach zero – 2060 in IMP-Ren and 2070 in IMP-Neg-2.0. Source: data from IMP-Ren: [[#Luderer--2022|Luderer et al. (2022)]] ; IMP-Neg-2.0: Riahi, K. et al. (2021).

Within this context, this chapter has two main objectives. First, it aims to assess specific, individual mitigation options in energy supply, energy transformation, and energy transportation and transmission. This assessment is complementary to a set of chapters that explore mitigation options in agriculture, forestry, and other land uses (Chapter 7), urban systems and other settlements (Chapter 8), buildings (Chapter 9), transport (Chapter 10), industry (Chapter 11), and cross-sectoral perspectives (Chapter 12). Second, this chapter aims to assess system-level mitigation opportunities and challenges across the entirety of energy systems. These systems include energy supply, transformation, transmission, storage, transportation, and end uses. They also include the societal systems that interact with the physical energy system. As energy systems become increasingly integrated and interconnected, a system-wide perspective is necessary for understanding mitigation opportunities and challenges.

Within this context, this chapter addresses six topics, each of which is addressed in a separate section. First, [[#6.2|Section 6.2]] defines the scope of the energy system. [[#6.3|Section 6.3]] then discusses the recent trends in energy systems that might exert the most significant influence on energy system evolution and options for reducing emissions. [[#6.4|Section 6.4]] assesses the status and potential of individual energy supply, transformation, storage, transportation and transmission, and integration mitigation options in the energy sector. [[#6.5|Section 6.5]] explores how climate change might affect energy systems and alter potential energy system mitigation options and strategies. [[#6.6|Section 6.6]] identifies key characteristics of net-zero energy systems – those that emit very little or no CO 2 . [[#6.7|Section 6.7]] explores transition pathways toward and through net-zero energy systems. Across all of these sections, the chapter aims to explore the ways that energy sector mitigation options and strategies interact with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and other societal and environmental goals.

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