Most people want to quickly transition to clean energy, but developing countries can’t be left behind either.
Image source:Unsplash/Karsten Würth
Madeleine North
Senior Writer for the Forum Agenda
According to the United Nations' latest "People's Climate Vote," most countries support a rapid phase-out of fossil fuels.
However, of the $1.8 trillion invested in clean energy infrastructure in 2023, emerging and developing economies received less than 15%.
The World Economic Forum's new report, "Accelerating Equitable Transformation: A Data-Driven Approach," analyzes data from various countries to identify where equity gaps exist.
Globally, 70 percent of people want their countries to transition to clean energy as soon as possible in order to tackle the climate crisis.This conclusion was drawn from the United Nations' second People's Climate Vote, which surveyed more than 73,000 people across 77 countries. The results revealed that 85% of those nations support a rapid transition away from fossil fuels—categorically including most of the world’s top 10 producers of oil, natural gas, and coal.Achim Steiner, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme, said the survey results "revealed a strikingly high level of consensus." He urged leaders and policymakers to take action, "especially as countries prepare their next round of climate action commitments."We need more than just a rapid transition—we also need fairness. A new report from the World Economic Forum and the Boston Consulting Group warns: "Well-intentioned policies and climate-friendly actions… could exacerbate existing economic inequalities, deepen societal divisions and polarization, and ultimately slow down both environmental and socio-economic progress."Who is most concerned about climate change?While most respondents (53%) in the climate vote survey said they are more concerned about the climate crisis than last year, fully 60% of people in the world’s least developed countries reported feeling even more worried—compared to just half of those in the G20 nations.The 10 countries with the highest levels of global concern are:It’s no surprise that, given how frequently least developed countries bear the brunt of the climate crisis, the majority of people in these nations (89%) are calling for stronger commitments to tackle the climate emergency. Among them, Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Benin—countries in sub-Saharan Africa—are leading the way, with support rates soaring as high as 97%.Globally, a growing number of people—53%—are experiencing heightened climate anxiety, and their desire to rapidly transition to clean energy is also on the rise.
Image source:United Nations
Are countries taking sufficient measures to tackle the climate crisis?One in four people say their country has failed to tackle climate challenges, with Haiti showing the greatest disappointment—73% of Haitians believe their nation’s performance has been either very poor or fairly poor.While transitioning to clean energy is a critical component in tackling the climate crisis, the reality is that more than 90% of investments in this sector are concentrated in developed economies and China.The World Economic Forum's 2024 report, "Driving Effective Energy Transitions," highlights that emerging and developing economies received less than 15% of the $1.8 trillion invested in clean energy infrastructure in 2023—despite accounting for 65% of the global population and generating roughly one-third of the world's GDP.When it comes to the energy transition, fairness is just as important as speed.
Image source:World Economic Forum
How can we achieve a just transition?The forum report noted that clean energy investments in developing countries must "increase more than sixfold—from the current $270 billion to $1.6 trillion by the early 2030s."According to the UN’s climate poll, 8 out of every 10 people agreed, with 79% expressing a desire for "wealthier nations to provide more support to poorer countries."However, the transition itself could potentially exacerbate inequality. For instance, the closure of coal mines may negatively impact local employment opportunities, while the adoption of electric vehicles tends to benefit primarily high-income households. As highlighted in the forum’s report, "Accelerating a Just Transition: A Data-Driven Approach," "climate change mitigation efforts continue to disproportionately favor society’s more affluent segments."The report states that risks vary across countries, underscoring the need for a nuanced approach. It analyzes data from each nation to identify where equity gaps exist, enabling the development of "well-informed strategies."These forum reports clearly emphasize that, to avoid exacerbating existing inequalities, climate policies must be inclusive and take into account socioeconomic impacts—ensuring that no country or community is left behind in the fight against the climate crisis.The above content solely represents the author's personal views.This article is translated from the World Economic Forum's Agenda blog; the Chinese version is for reference purposes only.Feel free to share this on WeChat Moments; please leave a comment below the post if you’d like to republish.
Editor: Wang Can
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