China and the United States improve their energy performance in an unstable global context

While advanced economies maintain global energy leadership, China and the United States have significantly progressed in the security and sustainability of their energy systems, according to the World Economic Forum's annual report.

Partagez:

In a global context marked by record energy demand, geopolitical disruptions, and increasing climate-related risks, advanced economies still dominate the global energy transition ranking, but China and the United States demonstrate notable progress in 2025, according to the latest World Economic Forum report titled Fostering Effective Energy Transition 2025.

Stable leadership but new challenges

Nordic countries continue to hold top positions thanks to their robust infrastructure, diversified energy mix, and long-term regulatory stability. Sweden, Finland, and Denmark retain the top three positions in the global ranking, followed by Norway and Switzerland.

However, despite their favorable positions, these countries face increasing challenges related to grid congestion, high energy prices, and delays in infrastructure projects, threatening the sustainability of their achievements.

Significant advances in major economies

China, now ranked 12th globally, has reached a historic high in readiness for the energy transition. The country has recorded a significant 2.2% increase in its overall score, driven by massive investments in renewable energies and continuous improvement of its regulatory framework. In particular, China holds the world’s largest installed renewable energy capacity and accounts for nearly 40% of global clean energy investment.

The United States, meanwhile, is making notable progress mainly in energy security, thanks to a diversified energy mix and robust infrastructure. Its performance is also boosted by continued reductions in energy intensity and growth in low-carbon sector employment, according to the report.

Regional inequalities and economic tensions

The report also highlights the significant inequality between emerging regions and advanced economies. Despite the overall increase in global clean energy investments surpassing $2 trillion in 2024, emerging markets, notably excluding China, still receive less than 15% of the global total, exacerbating an annual investment deficit estimated at $2.2 trillion.

This situation is particularly critical in sub-Saharan Africa, where the lack of infrastructure and investments significantly hinders progress towards an effective energy transition, the report emphasizes.

Strategic priorities for a sustainable energy future

Facing these challenges, the report highlights five essential strategic priorities: adopting adaptive policy frameworks, modernizing energy infrastructure, investing in talent and skills, accelerating the commercialization of clean technologies, and strengthening capital investment in developing economies.

These measures aim to align global energy ambitions with concrete actions, ensuring that progress made is sustainable and resilient to future disruptions.

On the sidelines of the US–Africa summit in Luanda, Algiers and Luanda consolidate their energy collaboration to better exploit their oil, gas, and mining potential, targeting a common strategy in regional and international markets.
The UK's Climate Change Committee is urging the government to quickly reduce electricity costs to facilitate the adoption of heat pumps and electric vehicles, judged too slow to achieve the set climate targets.
The European Commission will extend until the end of 2030 an expanded state-aid framework, allowing capitals to fund low-carbon technologies and nuclear power to preserve competitiveness against China and the United States.
Japan's grid operator forecasts an energy shortfall of up to 89 GW by 2050 due to rising demand from semiconductor manufacturing, electric vehicles, and artificial intelligence technologies.
Energy-intensive European industries will be eligible for temporary state aid to mitigate high electricity prices, according to a new regulatory framework proposed by the European Commission under the "Clean Industrial Deal."
Mauritius seeks international investors to swiftly build a floating power plant of around 100 MW, aiming to secure the national energy supply by January 2026 and address current production shortfalls.
Madrid announces immediate energy storage measures while Lisbon secures its electrical grid, responding to the historic outage that affected the entire Iberian Peninsula in late April.
Indonesia has unveiled its new national energy plan, projecting an increase of 69.5 GW in electricity capacity over ten years, largely funded by independent producers, to address rapidly rising domestic demand.
French Minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher condemns the parliamentary moratorium on new renewable energy installations, warning of the potential loss of 150,000 industrial jobs and increased energy dependence on foreign countries.
The European battery regulation, fully effective from August 18, significantly alters industrial requirements related to electric cars and bicycles, imposing strict rules on recycling, supply chains, and transparency for companies.
The European Parliament calls on the Commission to strengthen energy infrastructure and accelerate the implementation of the Clean Industrial Deal to enhance the continent's energy flexibility and security amid increased market volatility.
The European Commission unveils an ambitious plan to modernize electricity grids and introduces the Clean Industrial Deal, mobilizing hundreds of billions of euros to strengthen the continent's industrial and energy autonomy.
In the United States, regulated electric grid operators hold a decisive advantage in connecting new data centres to the grid, now representing 134 GW of projects, according to a Wood Mackenzie report published on June 19.
The French National Assembly approves a specific target of 200 TWh renewable electricity production by 2030 within a legislative text extensively debated about the future national energy mix.
In 2024, US CO₂ emissions remain stable at 5.1bn tonnes, as the Trump administration prepares hydrocarbon-friendly energy policies, raising questions about the future evolution of the American market.
The early publication of France's energy decree triggers strong parliamentary reactions, as the government aims to rapidly secure investments in nuclear and other energy sectors.
Seven weeks after the major Iberian power outage, Spain identifies technical network failures, while the European Investment Bank approves major funding to strengthen the interconnection with France.
The European Union has announced a detailed schedule aiming to definitively halt Russian gas imports by the end of 2027, anticipating internal legal and commercial challenges to overcome.
Madagascar plans the imminent opening of a 105 MW thermal power plant to swiftly stabilise its electricity grid, severely affected in major urban areas, while simultaneously developing renewable energy projects.
India's Central Electricity Regulatory Commission proposes a new financial instrument enabling industrial companies to meet renewable energy targets through virtual contracts, without physical electricity delivery, thus facilitating compliance management.