Global disparities in renewable energy development: Where they exist and why

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2026

Abstract

Concerns about global climate change are driving renewable energy development across many countries, although with uneven progress. This paper aims to identify these geographic disparities, explain why they exist, explore future trajectories and suggest how to reduce them. Countries poised for rapid solar and wind energy development are primarily in Europe along with China and Uruguay. Rapid development is also occurring in the Middle East, though starting from a lower baseline. In contrast, the lowest rates are found in Russia, Central Asia, North and Southern Africa. We review recent changes in these patterns by examining national wind and solar energy usage growth rates in the last decade, percentage point growth in renewable energy share over two decades, and considering an energy transition index. We provide case studies of five laggard countries and emerging leaders, Russia, South Africa, Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco, as examples of divergent approaches to renewable energy. Causes for slower paces of renewable energy development include geopolitics and contextual factors such as social and cultural attitudes towards renewable energy, and the degree to which these factors hinder the adoption and deployment of renewable technologies. Drawing on these case studies, we propose context-specific solutions to address these challenges. The paper concludes with policy options for closing the gap between the renewable energy haves and have-nots.

Publication Title

Applied Geography

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