The 2026 Global Energy Agenda

The global energy landscape entering 2026 has been shaped less by an anticipated debate over affordability and more by the rapid escalation of geopolitical uncertainty. While energy costs and access remain central, particularly in a US election year, events across multiple regions have fundamentally refocused global priorities. From a successful US intervention in Venezuela to the ongoing war in the Middle East, energy security concerns have once again moved decisively to the forefront of global decision-making.

Insights from this year’s Atlantic Council Global Energy Agenda survey (full results and analysis are forthcoming) underscore that this shift was already underway before recent crises intensified. Even prior to the outbreak of conflict involving Iran, geopolitical tensions were identified as the dominant force shaping energy systems, with roughly half of respondents citing conflict as the single greatest driver of disruption in 2025. Looking ahead, respondents overwhelmingly expect geopolitical rivalry and insufficient infrastructure investment to define risks to the energy system through the end of the decade.

At the same time, longer-term dynamics continue to evolve beneath the surface of immediate crises. Expectations around the persistence of fossil fuels, the gradual and uneven path to net-zero emissions, and the growing role of emerging technologies—including artificial intelligence—highlight a system continually evolving through a delicate balance of current geopolitical pressures and the policy and business decisions shaping an energy future that is more stable, affordable, and sustainable.

It is against this complex and rapidly shifting backdrop that the Atlantic Council presents its sixth Global Energy Agenda, combining insights from global leaders with analysis from our most comprehensive survey to date.

We’re pleased to share this year’s leadership insights, starting with that of Maria Korsnick, president and CEO of the Nuclear Energy Institute, and Amy Brachio, the CEO of Carbon Measures, with many more to follow in the coming weeks.

The infrastructure that will drive energy innovation and competitiveness

By Amy Brachio

Companies across industries are investing in lower-carbon production. What’s needed now to drive competition and innovation is the right carbon measurement system.

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Nuclear energy for an era of rising demand and strategic risk

By Maria Korsnick

As electricity demand and geopolitical tensions rise, nuclear energy stands out as a crucial pillar in countries’ energy security strategies.

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Global Energy Agenda

Feb 20, 2025

The 2025 Global Energy Agenda

By Landon Derentz, Christine Suh, Paul Kielstra, Bailee Mathews (Editors)

The Atlantic Council is pleased to present its fifth Global Energy Agenda. As in prior years, this collection of essays is complemented by our in-depth analysis of the results of the Atlantic Council Global Energy Center’s annual global energy survey. 

Energy & Environment Geopolitics & Energy Security

Landon Derentz is senior director at the Atlantic Council Global Energy Center; Christine Suh is the managing editor for the Atlantic Council Global Energy Center; and Paul Kielstra is a freelance editor, analyst, and writer based outside of London.

Global Energy Forum

JUNE 9-10, 2026 WASHINGTON, DC The tenth Atlantic Council Global Energy Forum will be held June 9-10, 2026 in Washington, DC. Please check back regularly for updates on our programming.

The Global Energy Center develops and promotes pragmatic and nonpartisan policy solutions designed to advance global energy security, enhance economic opportunity, and accelerate pathways to net-zero emissions.

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Image: A drone view of oil storage containers and facilities of the TotalEnergies refinery in the Leuna Chemical Complex, in Leuna, Germany, March 17, 2026. REUTERS/Annegret Hilse