The United Arab Emirates has claimed the top spot in the Arab world and ranked 49th globally on the Energy Transition Index 2026, after scoring 59.1 points on the overall index that measures the performance of national energy systems, according to the report issued by the World Economic Forum in collaboration with Accenture.
The UAE ranked among the world's best-performing countries on the energy equity indicator, further cementing its regional leadership in this global index.
The result reflects remarkable progress in the country's trajectory: in the 2021 edition of the same index, the UAE ranked 64th globally and second in the Arab world, meaning it has climbed approximately 15 places worldwide and moved to the top of the Arab region within 5 years.
Now in its 16th edition, the Energy Transition Index is a data-driven assessment tool covering 120 countries and drawing on 44 sub-indicators. It measures two main dimensions: current energy system performance in terms of security, sustainability and equity, as well as the country's readiness for future transition through its policy environment, infrastructure, financing, innovation and human capital.
At the global level, the report concluded that the energy transition pathway has become increasingly uneven across countries, amid rising geopolitical tensions, infrastructure bottlenecks and growing energy demand.
It noted that global energy investment reached a record high of $3.3 trillion in 2025, while renewable and nuclear energy sources accounted for approximately 42% of electricity generation worldwide.
The Forum pointed out that energy transition readiness declined for the first time in more than a decade, due to weak policy certainty and tightening financing conditions, while Northern European countries — led by Sweden, Finland and Denmark — maintained their positions at the top of the global rankings.