The key global metrics behind the dual challenge: meeting the world's growing energy demand while driving down emissions and limiting warming. Five views, current data, every figure sourced.
01
Energy demand
Energy underpins prosperity, and demand is accelerating, led by electrification and AI data centres. Yet 730 million people still have no electricity at all.
02
Energy supply mix
Fossil fuels still supply roughly four-fifths of the world's primary energy. But the electricity mix is shifting fast, with clean sources now past 42%.
Global electricity generation mix, 2025
Total generation 31,779 TWh. Renewables (hydro + wind + solar + bioenergy) reached 33.8% and overtook coal for the first time in a century. Source: Ember Global Electricity Review 2026 ↗
03
Emissions
Despite record clean-energy growth, energy CO₂ emissions are still at an all-time high. The gap between today's path and a 1.5°C-aligned path keeps widening.
Annual energy CO₂ emissions vs a 1.5°C-aligned path
Actual emissions (GtCO₂)Illustrative 1.5°C path
Actual emissions: Global Carbon Project (fossil + cement). The 1.5°C path is illustrative of the ~43% cut from 2019 levels needed by 2030. Source: Global Carbon Budget 2025 ↗
04
Warming
2024 was the first calendar year above 1.5°C; 2025 was the third-warmest on record. Atmospheric CO₂ keeps climbing and the remaining 1.5°C carbon budget is nearly spent.
Global temperature anomaly vs pre-industrial (1850–1900)
Bars show each year's anomaly in °C above the 1850–1900 baseline. Source: Copernicus / ERA5 ↗
05
Impacts from warming
The cost of a warming world is already here, measured in dollars, lives, displaced people, melting ice, and rising seas.