World Energy Issues Monitor 2020: Decoding new signals of change

The World Energy Issues Monitor 2020 was launched on 26 February and featured during the official meeting between the World Energy Council Secretary General and CEO Dr Angela Wilkinson and Professor Dr Klaus-Dieter Borchardt, Deputy Director-General, Directorate-General Energy (ENER), at the European Commission’s Headquarters in Brussels.

The 2020 edition of the World Energy Issues Monitor provides unique insights into what energy leaders identify as their critical uncertainties and action priorities this year.

Based on the 11th annual survey and analysis of over 3,000 survey responses from energy leaders in 104 countries, the World Energy Council has identified major trends and agenda items which are relevant to new energy and energy-related developments in regionally diverse systems. Key highlights from this year’s survey include:

• Macroeconomic and geopolitical issues are the key critical uncertainties
• Technology innovation is driving most of the action priorities
• Self-reliance is outpacing regional integration as key enabler of energy security

New this year, the Issues Monitor also provides readers with a snapshot of the customer’s perspective toward the energy transition.  Dr Angela Wilkinson, Secretary General & CEO, World Energy Council, commented: “The need to engage communities and societies in energy systems development and transition is becoming more pressing. We are reaching out beyond the energy sector to engage new and non-traditional energy transition leaders.”

The World Energy Issues Monitor 2020 identifies the shifting patterns of connected issues that impact energy systems development and transition on a multi-local, regional and global basis. Some of the key trends and topics that have emerged from tracking these issues over time as well as the survey of individual consumers are:

• The 2020s may be the decade of the customer
• Carbon Capture & Storage (CCS) is gaining in importance within the oil & gas sector
• While opinions differ globally, nuclear power remains important in Europe

Dr Angela Wilkinson, Secretary General & CEO, World Energy Council, commented: “Our annual World Energy Issues Monitor is a unique tool for enabling shared understanding of the implementation challenges involved in accelerating the pace of new energy systems development and transitions.”

About the World Energy Issues Monitor

The World Energy Issues Monitor is the World Energy Council’s annual survey of key challenges and opportunities faced by energy leaders around the world in managing and shaping energy transitions. The monitor helps to define the world energy agenda and its evolution over time. It provides a high-level perception of what constitute issues of critical uncertainty, in contrast to those that require immediate action or act as developing signals for the future. It is an essential tool for understanding the complex and uncertain environment in which energy leaders must operate, and a tool which challenges one’s own assumptions on the key drivers within the energy landscape