
Extreme Weather Drove 20% of Energy Demand Growth in 2024: IEA Report
A surge in global temperatures and extreme weather events drove a 20% increase in natural gas and electricity demand in 2024, contributing to a rise in coal consumption, according to the Global Energy Review 2025 released by the International Energy Agency (IEA) on March 24, 2025.
Soaring Electricity Demand
Global electricity consumption grew by 4.3% in 2024, nearly doubling the 2.5% growth recorded in 2023. The main drivers were:
Increased cooling demand due to extreme heatwaves, particularly in China, India, and the U.S.
Industrial expansion, especially in electro-intensive manufacturing
Electrification of transport, with electric vehicle (EV) sales rising by over 25%, surpassing 17 million units
Booming data centres, requiring massive power consumption
The buildin...