The Lyondell Basell Houston refinery in Houston, Texas, pictured on June 14, 2024. Brandon Bell/Getty Images London Reuters —

Global demand for oil and natural gas could grow until 2050, the International Energy Agency said Wednesday, departing from previous expectations of a speedy transition to cleaner fuels following US

criticism of its climate focus.

The IEA also predicted in its annual outlook that the world would likely fail to meet its goal to cap the rise in temperatures to as close as possible to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial times to avoid the most devastating effects of climate change.

The Paris-based energy security watchdog has been under pressure from the United States for a shift in recent years toward a focus on clean energy policies as President Don

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