Visualizing the Top Energy Priorities of Major Countries

As policy makers, business leaders, and academics gather at COP28 in Dubai this week, topics like climate change and the energy transition will be front and center.

Discussions and policy commitments on these issues are crucial. However, navigating the complexity of aligning policies for the future of energy can be challenging, given the multitude of sometimes conflicting priorities among nations.

Today’s visualization uses data from Ipsos, which details how 24,000 people in 28 countries feel about the top energy issues in their country.

Top Issue: Energy Security

The invasion of Ukraine by Russia has propelled energy security to the forefront of concerns for many countries, particularly in Europe.

Directly impacted nations, including Germany, have had to reactivate coal production and extend the operational lives of nuclear power plants to ensure adequate heating during winter.

According to the Ipsos survey, achieving energy self-sufficiency, thereby reducing dependence on external sources, is the top energy priority for numerous countries, including the U.S., Canada, Italy, and France.

The survey reveals that even countries self-reliant on energy consider energy security the top priority.

Norway, for example, gets 96% of its energy by exploiting its offshore oil and gas fields and using hydroelectric power. The country even has a surplus of power, which it exports to other countries, such as the UK. Despite this, self-sufficiency remains a top priority in the minds of Norwegians.

Top Issue: Cleaner Energy

Following energy security, the second most critical priority is the development of cleaner energy sources like wind, solar, and hydrogen.

This concern is the top pick in Japan and a high concern for other Asian economies such as South Korea and China. Today, the region accounts for 52% of global carbon dioxide emissions.

Besides the environmental impact, clean energy development can have an economic impact. Recent studies have shown that doubling the share of renewables in the global energy mix could increase global GDP by up to 1.1% or $1.3 trillion.

Top Issue: Affordability of Energy

Reducing the cost of energy for consumers is the third most frequently mentioned concern. This is particularly emphasized in Belgium, Great Britain, and Germany, where prices are about double that of neighbors like France and Greece.

For perspective, energy prices in many European countries are more than twice or three times the global average.

Less frequently mentioned energy priorities include:

• Building more energy infrastructure.
• Charging energy consumers more taxes for excessive use.
• Ensuring Indigenous peoples benefit from major energy projects.

Reducing deforestation emerged as the top priority in Brazil, home to 60% of the Amazon rainforest. Recent data indicates that almost 20% of the forest has been destroyed since the 1970s.