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Net anthropogenic emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂) must approach zero by mid-century (2050) in order to stabilize the global mean temperature at the level targeted by international efforts^{, , , –}. Yet continued expansion of fossil-fuel-burning energy infrastructure implies already ‘committed’ future CO₂ emissions^{, , , , , , –}. Here we use detailed datasets of existing fossil-fuel energy infrastructure in 2018 to estimate regional and sectoral patterns of committed CO₂ emissions, the sensitivity of such emissions to assumed operating lifetimes and schedules, and the economic value of the associated infrastructure. We estimate that, if operated as historically, existing infrastructure will cumulatively emit about 658 gigatonnes of CO₂ (with a range of 226 to 1,479 gigatonnes CO₂, depending on the lifetimes and utilization rates assumed). More than half of these emissions are predicted to come from the electricity sector …