Overview
- The World Economic Forum published the 2026 Energy Transition Index on Thursday and reported that overall transition readiness declined for the first time in more than ten years despite continued progress in some countries.
- Global energy investment reached an estimated USD 3.3 trillion in 2025 with about USD 2.3 trillion directed to clean energy, yet the WEF says a growing disconnect between where capital flows and where systems need upgrades has weakened readiness.
- Around 75% of clean‑energy capital is concentrated in a small group of countries, leaving emerging economies facing higher financing costs and infrastructure shortfalls that threaten to slow access to reliable, cleaner power.
- Rising electricity demand grew about 3% last year—driven by electrification, cooling, data centres and AI—with roughly 80% of that increase in emerging markets, putting acute pressure on grids and prompting calls for faster grid expansion and integration.
- India was one of the strongest improvers, rising two places to 70th with a 1.9% score gain driven by infrastructure expansion, a 24–25% rise in low‑carbon jobs and targeted moves on renewables, grid upgrades and green hydrogen; Nordic countries retained the top ranks while Singapore posted one of the biggest climbs.