Rising Global Energy Demand in the face of climate change: Which side deserves the weight?
Rising Energy Demand
Climate Change
Global Demand Trends
Global energy consumption keeps reaching record highs. In 2024 alone, world energy demand grew 2.2%, nearly double the decade-average rate. Today the world consumes about 168 trillion kilowatt-hours a year (~600 exajoules) – more than double the level in 1980. Barring brief downturns (like the 2020 pandemic), demand has risen almost every year at ~1–2%.
Regional Differences: Industrialized vs Developing
Asia-Pacific’s energy use (red line) has surged in recent decades, overtaking North America (green) and Europe (yellow). Emerging economies now account for over half of global energy use. In 2024, more than 80% of the rise in world energy demand came from developing countries, with ~60% of that growth in Asia. India’s demand increase alone exceeded that of all advanced economies combinediea.org. Meanwhile, many mature economies see flat or declining demand thanks to efficiency gains and slower growth.
Primary energy consumption by world region. Sources: Our World in Data,
Driving Forces Behind Demand Growth
Key drivers include demographics, urbanization, and economic growth. The developing world’s population is projected to grow by ~2 billion by 2040, and rapid urbanization and industrial growth are boosting demand for electricity and fuel. Rising incomes also enable more households to afford appliances and vehicles, further lifting consumption.
There is a positive correlation between population and energy consumption. Countries with large population used more energy compared to those with small population. With the rising global population, more energy will be needed. Source: VisualizingEnergy.Org, Our World in Data.
Implications: Sustainability and Energy Equity
These trends pose a dual challenge. On one hand, surging demand complicates climate efforts – higher energy use has meant higher CO₂ emissions, making climate targets harder to reach. Cleaner energy must scale up even as consumption grows. On the other hand, energy equity remains a concern: around 760 million people still lack electricity access, mostly in developing regions. Balancing development with climate goals will require massive investments in clean energy so developing countries can meet demand without derailing climate progress.Expanding access to reliable electricity is not only a developmental imperative – it is a foundational step toward global energy justice
Which side deserves the weight? It’s tempting to frame the tension between rising energy demand and climate change as a scale in perfect opposition—where addressing one comes at the cost of the other. But to truly meet this global challenge, we must move beyond that binary. The solution isn’t about choosing sides; it’s about redesigning the scale altogether. The question is not whether we should prioritize energy access or climate action, but how we can achieve both. That means investing in clean technology innovation, enacting smart policy and regulatory frameworks, and fostering deeper cooperation—especially with developed nations supporting low-carbon transitions in the developing world. Solving this dual crisis requires not just new tools, but a new mindset—one that sees energy demand and climate responsibility not as opposing weights, but as shared pillars of a sustainable future.
