According to Experts.news, global fossil fuel consumption increased by 8%, or 40 exajoules (EJ), between 2017 and 2025, despite improvements in energy efficiency across economies and the rapid growth in the use of renewable energy sources (RES), according to the findings of the Energy Institute’s Country Transition Tracker 2026, released by the UK-based Energy Institute on November 10.
According to the report, global demand for natural gas saw the largest increase during this period—by nearly 15%, or 19 ExJ. Coal consumption rose by 7%, and oil consumption by 5%.
The study covers approximately 80 of the largest energy-consuming countries, which account for over 96% of global energy consumption and 95% of greenhouse gas emissions.
According to the Energy Institute, 83% of the countries studied have seen a decline in the energy intensity of their economies since 2017—that is, the amount of energy required to generate a unit of GDP. At the same time, 86% of countries reduced the carbon intensity of their energy consumption.
Despite these changes, global demand for fossil fuels continued to grow. In 2025, oil, natural gas, and coal still accounted for more than 85% of global energy consumption.
Renewable energy consumption increased by more than 60%
According to estimates by the Energy Institute, global use of renewable energy sources, including hydropower, increased by more than 60% between 2017 and 2025.
Growth was recorded in 74 of the 79 leading countries included in the analysis.
However, despite the rapid expansion of solar, wind, hydropower, and other renewable sources, their share in 2025 accounted for only about 8.6% of total global energy demand.
At the same time, decarbonization is occurring much faster in electricity generation than in other energy sectors.
In particular, France has the highest share of electricity from low-carbon and carbon-free sources among the countries studied—95 percent—of which nuclear power plants account for 68 percent of total generation. Brazil ranks second in this regard, with a share of 89 percent.
Greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise
The increase in fossil fuel consumption was accompanied by a further rise in global energy-related greenhouse gas emissions. Between 2017 and 2025, these emissions increased by an average of nearly 1% annually.
The largest reductions in emissions in absolute terms during this period were recorded in Germany—by 222 million metric tons—and Japan—by 216 million metric tons.
In contrast, energy-related emissions increased by 2.096 billion metric tons in China and by 783 million metric tons in India.
The Energy Institute notes that the United Kingdom, Spain, France, and Germany rank among the top five countries across five or six energy transition indicators.
Jemma Reniés, Director of External Relations at the Energy Institute, emphasized that the energy transition is proceeding unevenly both among individual countries and across sectors of the global economy.
According to her, the success of the transition will be determined not only by the volume of new clean energy capacity brought online but also by the ability of countries to meet growing energy demand while simultaneously reducing emissions.
According to the Statistical Review of World Energy published on June 30, 2026, total global energy demand in 2025 exceeded 600 EJ for the first time, increasing by 1.7% compared to the previous year.
At the same time, renewable energy sources made the largest contribution to the growth in global energy consumption, although fossil fuels continue to dominate the energy mix.
The Energy Institute is an independent British professional organization in the energy sector that publishes international energy statistics, analytical studies, and assessments of energy market developments. The annual publication *Statistical Review of World Energy* contains data on the production and consumption of oil, gas, coal, electricity, renewable energy, and nuclear energy, as well as energy-related greenhouse gas emissions.
Source: Energy Institute, official report “Country Transition Tracker 2026” dated November 10, 2026.
COAL, DECARBONIZATION, ENERGY, GAS, OIL
