The Atlantic Council Global Energy Agenda 2026 Survey

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* 1. In 2025, which of the following factors had the greatest impact on the global energy system?

Flow of capital

Geopolitical conflict

National energy policy

National trade and economic policy

Technological innovation

Other, please specify:

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* 2. In 2025, which of the following conflicts or tensions had the greatest impact on energy geopolitics?

Asymmetric attacks on energy infrastructure

Hamas-Israel conflict

Broader tensions in the Middle East

Indo-Pacific tensions

Russia-Ukraine war

US-China tension

Western Hemisphere tensions

Other, please specify:

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* 3. Select the three countries/regions that have had the greatest influence on global energy trends in 2025.

Central and Eastern Europe

China

East Asia, not including China

European Union/Western Europe

Latin America

Middle East and North Africa

North America

Russia

South and Southeast Asia

Sub-Saharan Africa

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* 4. Looking ahead to 2030, which factor will pose the biggest risk to the global energy system?

Geopolitical conflict

Insufficient investment in energy infrastructure

Insufficient investment in technology

Trade tensions and protectionism

Volatility in global oil and gas markets

Other, please specify:

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* 5. Looking ahead to 2030, which conflict or tension will have the greatest impact on energy geopolitics?

Asymmetric attacks on energy infrastructure

Hamas-Israel conflict

Broader tensions in the Middle East

Indo-Pacific tensions

Russia-Ukraine war

US-China tension

Western Hemisphere tensions

Other, please specify:

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* 6. Looking ahead to 2030, select the three countries/regions that will have the greatest influence on global energy trends.

Central and Eastern Europe

China

East Asia, not including China

European Union/Western Europe

Latin America

Middle East and North Africa

North America

Russia

South and Southeast Asia

Sub-Saharan Africa

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* 7. Over the next ten years, what will be the most important cause of energy market volatility?

Economic/resource nationalism

Increasing energy demand in emerging markets

Technological breakthroughs

Underinvestment because of environmental, social, and governance considerations

Unpredictable market fundamentals

Use of energy for geopolitical leverage

Other, please specify:

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* 8. When will oil demand (global annual average) peak?

Already has

By 2030

2031 – 2040

2041 – 2050

After 2050

Never

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* 9. Which of these statements best describes the future of natural gas?

Natural gas will have a minimal role in the energy mix.

Natural gas will serve as a bridge fuel with global demand phasing down over time.

Natural gas will remain in the global energy mix as a complement to other energy technologies.

Natural gas will remain a destination fuel, maintaining a significant share of the global energy mix.

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* 10. Which of these statements most accurately reflects the role of nuclear energy in the global energy mix by 2050?

Nuclear energy will have a minimal role in the global energy mix.

Nuclear energy will be a primary energy source in developed countries but will have a limited role in developing countries.

Nuclear energy will serve as a primary energy source in both developed and developing countries.

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* 11. When will global net-zero greenhouse gas emissions be achieved?

By 2030

2031 – 2050

2051 – 2075

2076 – 2100

Never

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* 12. What impact would pursuing net-zero emissions by 2050 have on global economic growth, energy security, and energy access?

	1 = Greatly reduce	2	3 = No impact	4	5 = Greatly increase
Global economic growth	Global economic growth 1 = Greatly reduce	Global economic growth 2	Global economic growth 3 = No impact	Global economic growth 4	Global economic growth 5 = Greatly increase
Global energy security	Global energy security 1 = Greatly reduce	Global energy security 2	Global energy security 3 = No impact	Global energy security 4	Global energy security 5 = Greatly increase
Global energy access	Global energy access 1 = Greatly reduce	Global energy access 2	Global energy access 3 = No impact	Global energy access 4	Global energy access 5 = Greatly increase

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* 13. Which of the following is the primary obstacle to increasing access to affordable energy?

Inadequate energy infrastructure

Insufficient energy supply

Lack of access to capital

Lack of political intervention and political will

Limits to current technology

Wider economic stress (e.g., borrowing costs, prospects of recession)

Other, please specify:

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* 14. How important are each of the following policy interventions for ensuring the development of the future energy workforce?

Please answer on a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 = Not at all important and 5 = Extremely important

	1 = Not at all important	2	3	4	5 = Extremely important
Incentives for private-sector training and workforce development	Incentives for private-sector training and workforce development 1 = Not at all important	Incentives for private-sector training and workforce development 2	Incentives for private-sector training and workforce development 3	Incentives for private-sector training and workforce development 4	Incentives for private-sector training and workforce development 5 = Extremely important
Labor mobility and immigration policies to address critical skill shortages	Labor mobility and immigration policies to address critical skill shortages 1 = Not at all important	Labor mobility and immigration policies to address critical skill shortages 2	Labor mobility and immigration policies to address critical skill shortages 3	Labor mobility and immigration policies to address critical skill shortages 4	Labor mobility and immigration policies to address critical skill shortages 5 = Extremely important
Long-term policy and regulatory certainty that encourages companies to invest in workforce training	Long-term policy and regulatory certainty that encourages companies to invest in workforce training 1 = Not at all important	Long-term policy and regulatory certainty that encourages companies to invest in workforce training 2	Long-term policy and regulatory certainty that encourages companies to invest in workforce training 3	Long-term policy and regulatory certainty that encourages companies to invest in workforce training 4	Long-term policy and regulatory certainty that encourages companies to invest in workforce training 5 = Extremely important
Public funding for technical education, vocational training, and reskilling and upskilling workers	Public funding for technical education, vocational training, and reskilling and upskilling workers 1 = Not at all important	Public funding for technical education, vocational training, and reskilling and upskilling workers 2	Public funding for technical education, vocational training, and reskilling and upskilling workers 3	Public funding for technical education, vocational training, and reskilling and upskilling workers 4	Public funding for technical education, vocational training, and reskilling and upskilling workers 5 = Extremely important

Other key policy intervention:

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* 15. Which segment of the energy sector will see the greatest growth in investment in 2026?

Biofuels

Carbon capture, utilization, and storage

Direct air capture

Electricity transmission

Energy storage

Fossil fuels

Geothermal

Grid buildout and optimization

Hydrogen

Nuclear

Solar

Wind

Other, please specify:

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* 16. How will greater artificial intelligence (AI) integration impact the following aspects of the energy system over the next ten years?

	1 = Greatly reduce	2	3	4	5 = Greatly increase
Cybersecurity risks	Cybersecurity risks 1 = Greatly reduce	Cybersecurity risks 2	Cybersecurity risks 3	Cybersecurity risks 4	Cybersecurity risks 5 = Greatly increase
Energy efficiency	Energy efficiency 1 = Greatly reduce	Energy efficiency 2	Energy efficiency 3	Energy efficiency 4	Energy efficiency 5 = Greatly increase
Energy prices	Energy prices 1 = Greatly reduce	Energy prices 2	Energy prices 3	Energy prices 4	Energy prices 5 = Greatly increase
Global cooperation	Global cooperation 1 = Greatly reduce	Global cooperation 2	Global cooperation 3	Global cooperation 4	Global cooperation 5 = Greatly increase
Technological innovation	Technological innovation 1 = Greatly reduce	Technological innovation 2	Technological innovation 3	Technological innovation 4	Technological innovation 5 = Greatly increase

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* 17. In what country do you live?

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* 18. In which sector do you work?

Other, please specify:

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* 19. How long have you worked on energy issues, policies, and/or technologies?

0 years

1 – 4 years

5 – 10 years

11 – 15 years

16+ years

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* 20. How would you describe your professional role?

Assistant

Researcher/analyst

Management

Executive leadership

Other, please specify:

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* 21. What is your gender?

Female

Male

Other

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* 22. What is your age?

18 – 24

25 – 34

35 – 44

45 – 54

55 – 64

65 – 74

75 or older

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* 23. If you’d like to receive the survey results directly in your inbox, please provide your email address. Your email address will be used solely for the purpose of sharing the survey results with you. We will not share your email address with external parties.

The Atlantic Council Global Energy Agenda 2026

Annual survey

Question Title

* 1. In 2025, which of the following factors had the greatest impact on the global energy system?

Question Title

* 2. In 2025, which of the following conflicts or tensions had the greatest impact on energy geopolitics?

Question Title

* 3. Select the three countries/regions that have had the greatest influence on global energy trends in 2025.

Question Title

* 4. Looking ahead to 2030, which factor will pose the biggest risk to the global energy system?

Question Title

* 5. Looking ahead to 2030, which conflict or tension will have the greatest impact on energy geopolitics?

Question Title

* 6. Looking ahead to 2030, select the three countries/regions that will have the greatest influence on global energy trends.

Question Title

* 7. Over the next ten years, what will be the most important cause of energy market volatility?

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* 8. When will oil demand (global annual average) peak?

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* 9. Which of these statements best describes the future of natural gas?

Question Title

* 10. Which of these statements most accurately reflects the role of nuclear energy in the global energy mix by 2050?

Question Title

* 11. When will global net-zero greenhouse gas emissions be achieved?

Question Title

* 12. What impact would pursuing net-zero emissions by 2050 have on global economic growth, energy security, and energy access?

Question Title

* 13. Which of the following is the primary obstacle to increasing access to affordable energy?

Question Title

* 14. How important are each of the following policy interventions for ensuring the development of the future energy workforce? Please answer on a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 = Not at all important and 5 = Extremely important

Question Title

* 15. Which segment of the energy sector will see the greatest growth in investment in 2026?

Question Title

* 16. How will greater artificial intelligence (AI) integration impact the following aspects of the energy system over the next ten years?

Question Title

* 17. In what country do you live?

Question Title

* 18. In which sector do you work?

Question Title

* 19. How long have you worked on energy issues, policies, and/or technologies?

Question Title

* 20. How would you describe your professional role?

Question Title

* 21. What is your gender?

Question Title

* 22. What is your age?

Question Title

* 23. If you’d like to receive the survey results directly in your inbox, please provide your email address. Your email address will be used solely for the purpose of sharing the survey results with you. We will not share your email address with external parties.

* 14. How important are each of the following policy interventions for ensuring the development of the future energy workforce?

Please answer on a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 = Not at all important and 5 = Extremely important