Brazil, India, Italy and Japan pledge for quadrupling of sustainable fuels by 2035 based on a new IEA report
The deployment of sustainable fuels – liquid biofuels, biogases, renewable hydrogen and hydrogen-based fuels – is complementary to the electrification and energy efficiency in energy transition in various sectors, like transport and industry. If current and proposed national and international policy would be fully implemented their deployment could double by 2030 and even quadruple by 2035, compared to 2024 levels.
To achieve this IEA call for a shared global vision for sustainable fuels, to bridge cost gaps, boost innovation to expand protection potential, develop carbon accounting methodologies and freeing up long-term investments and access to finance, and to bring on board developments in emerging and developing economies.
Based on this report and as part of the run up to the COP30 to be held in Brazil from 10 to 21 November 2025, Brazil, joined by India, Italy and Japan, has just announced a pledge to quadruple the deployment of sustainable biofuels by 2035.
Read the press release on the Brazilian Foreign Ministry website (Portuguese language)
The “Belém Commitment for Sustainable Fuels,” or “Belém 4x,” was launched on 14 October 2025 during the pre-COP30 meeting in Brasília. The initiative aims to provide high-level political support for the global goal of at least quadrupling the production and use of sustainable fuels by 2035. The text is being negotiated by Brazil with partner countries such as India, Italy, and Japan and will be published in the coming days.
Read the full report: “Delivering Sustainable Fuels”
Quote from the IEA website:
“Sustainable fuels – including liquid biofuels, biogases, low-emissions hydrogen and hydrogen-based fuels – offer multiple benefits for the energy sector. They complement electrification and energy efficiency in energy transitions, and are particularly important for sectors that continue to be reliant on fuel-based solutions such as aviation, shipping, and parts of road transport and industry. Sustainable fuels can also enhance energy security, strengthen environmental sustainability and stimulate economic development, particularly in rural areas.
If fully legislated and implemented, current and proposed national and international policies would put the use of sustainable liquid and gaseous fuels on a path to nearly double from 2024 levels by 2030 and quadruple by 2035. Progress must occur on multiple fronts to increase uptake and foster a large and diverse set of sustainable fuel pathways. This calls for a shared global vision for sustainable fuels, along with targeted policies to bridge costs gaps with conventional fuels, innovation to expand production potential, robust and mutually agreed carbon accounting methodologies to ensure that sustainability criteria are met, long-term investment in infrastructure, and more accessible financing, especially in emerging and developing economies.
This report was prepared in support of Brazil’s COP30 Presidency and its Climate Action Agenda. It presents a sectoral analysis of global pathways for accelerating the deployment of sustainable liquid and gaseous fuels to 2035. It also summarises cumulative policy experience to date, identifies key technology and infrastructure requirements for scaling up deployment, and highlights resulting benefits that extend well beyond emissions reductions. Finally, the report outlines priority policy actions for governments seeking to adopt sustainable fuels to achieve measurable emissions reductions, strengthen domestic energy security and foster new opportunities for economic development.”
