IEA contributions to Brazilian government report cover Covid impacts on energy efficiency and potential emissions reductions in cement sector

The International Energy Agency has joined with the Brazilian government’s energy policy research office to highlight the impacts of the Covid-19 crisis on energy efficiency and to analyse the Brazilian cement sector in a global context.
The Energy Research Office (EPE), which supports Brazil’s Ministry of Mines and Energy through studies and research on energy planning, today released its Atlas of Energy Efficiency in Brazil 2020 – Indicators Report. The study tracks progress on energy efficiency in key sectors of the country’s economy. This is the EPE’s fourth dedicated energy efficiency monitoring report.

This year, a chapter jointly authored by the IEA and the EPE places a special focus on the impacts of the Covid-19 crisis in 2020. It explores behaviour changes in transport and households, as well as the impact of the pandemic on energy efficiency jobs.

Key takeaways include the importance of transport modes like walking and cycling to counteract the impacts on air quality and traffic congestion from the rise in car travel – as well as a reminder of the continuing benefits of public transport. Ensuring that appliance labels are visible for online purchases is also increasingly important so that customers can make informed decisions on appliance efficiency with the growth in online shopping. Finally, it is clear that the Covid-19 crisis has hit employment in sectors such as construction where many energy efficiency jobs are concentrated. Here, there is an opportunity to build on existing efficiency programmes to expand jobs in the sector in line with the key findings in IEA’s Special Report on Sustainable Recovery.

The cement sector is one of the highest-emitting sectors worldwide and is the focus of the chapter co-authored by the IEA, the EPE and the Brazilian National Union for the Cement Industry (SNIC). This chapter explores the evolution of Brazil’s cement sector since the 1970s, with a particular focus on energy efficiency and carbon emissions. Key highlights include an analysis of how Brazil has modernised its cement industry to become a global leader, and opportunities for further efficiency gains and emissions reductions.

This is the second year that the IEA has cooperated with the EPE on the Atlas of Energy Efficiency. It demonstrates the opportunities that continued cooperation can provide to advance energy efficiency for the benefit of citizens and the economy. The IEA looks forward to continuing to collaborate with Brazil, which is a key part of the IEA family and valued partner in the Agency’s Clean Energy Transitions Programme.