Energy Perspectives previous reports

About the report

Energy Perspectives is an independent report prepared by Equinor analysts, describing three possible development paths for the world economy, international energy markets and energy-related greenhouse gas emissions.

The report is based on models and frameworks that the company uses in connection with long-term analyses of the energy markets and is intended to foster greater understanding of uncertainty in the long term and how different forces can influence this uncertainty.

Energy Perspectives has become an important reference in international talks on energy and climate-change issues. Each year the team behind the report is invited to international meetings and conferences to present their perspectives.

Accept cookies

Want the full picture? We’d love to share this content with you, but first you must accept marketing cookies by enabling them in our cookie settings.

Energy Perspectives 2025

Energy Perspectives 2025 presents four scenarios for the future world economy, international energy markets and energy-related greenhouse gas emissions.

Long-term outlooks of the development in global energy markets are normally very difficult. As this year's Energy Perspectives report is published, they are even more so, as global markets and geopolitics are undergoing massive shifts with unpredictable short- and long-term consequences. Political priorities affecting global energy markets are shifting further away from decarbonisation towards energy affordability and security of energy supply. On top of this, the short-term impact of trade conflicts and new rules of the game in geopolitics is almost impossible to gauge.

Energy Perspectives 2025 press release

Energy Perspectives 2024

The speed and scale of the energy transition must increase in order to reach the 1.5-degree ambition.

In 2024, almost half of the world’s population go to the polls. Many elections will demonstrate some of the key trends shaping world politics: geopolitical competition, economic nationalism, and political polarisation. This in turn will impact global energy markets and the progress of the energy transition.

Energy Perspectives 2024 press release

Energy Perspectives 2023

Balancing energy security, affordability and decarbonisation is key for a sustainable energy transition.

The two scenarios, Walls and Bridges, illustrate two very different pathways for the global energy system towards 2050. A separate deep dive on critical minerals and rear earth elements looks into the importance of growing the supply and refinement capacity to support the global energy transition.

Energy Perspectives 2022

Balancing energy security, affordability and decarbonisation is key for a sustainable energy transition.

Amid turmoil in global energy markets, this year’s Energy Perspective report presents two scenarios; Walls and Bridges, which illustrate two very different pathways for the global energy system towards 2050.

Energy Perspectives 2021

An uncertain future

As the world begins to show the first signs of recovery from the global pandemic, the scope and direction of that recovery has been brought into the spotlight. The decisions we make now will have profound affects on the future of economies, societies, and the global energy landscape.

Energy Perspectives presents three different paths from where the world is today, all the way to 2050, and shows where our decisions may lead.

Energy perspectives presentation video 2021

Energy Perspectives 2020

A time of great uncertainty

Energy Perspectives celebrated its 10th anniversary in a year of unprecedented events. The COVID-19 pandemic sent shockwaves through energy markets, economies and societies, affecting all our lives for years to come.

The events of 2020 made scenario planning more relevant than ever, allowing us to see where our decisions may lead. Energy Perspectives does not predict the future, but gives us a way to examine and debate what may lie ahead in an informed and reasoned way.

In the 2020 report we looked at the consequences of a slow energy transition, what happens when we prioritise economic growth over the environment, and what it would take to reach the well below 2°C Paris climate target.

Energy perspectives presentation video 2020

Energy Perspectives 2019

Delaying climate action increases the challenge

Current climate actions are far from enough to put the world on a path to keep global warming well below 2 degrees. Global emissions increased in 2018 to reach an all-time high – and the longer this continues, the stronger measures will be necessary to reach common goals. The need is ever more urgent for rapid and significant change.

Energy perspectives 2019 video presentation