London-based WPC Energy has released the results of the 2026 edition of its Global Youth Survey, providing a snapshot of how young professionals view the energy industry, and the wider renewable energy transition.

In total, the survey received responses from more than 1,200 professionals and students under the age of 35, from 62 different countries. With consulting firm Accenture conducting analysis, the survey’s key findings include strong support for a “balanced approach” to managing energy systems, as well as an uptick in interest in energy careers thanks to global disruption.

“This is a generation that is engaged, pragmatic and acutely aware of complexity,” says WPC Energy president Pedro Miras. “They are not calling for simple answers or perfect solutions. They are asking for honesty about constraints, long-term thinking in decision-making and a genuine opportunity to help shape an energy future that is secure, affordable and sustainable.”

Perhaps the report’s most prevalent finding is the regional disparity in confidence in the global energy transition.

Dissecting the energy transition

The survey’s leading pillar, “confidence and beliefs in the global energy transition,” takes up about a fourth of the entire report. That confidence is split, according to WPC Energy.

“The regional picture is telling,” as the survey says. The report finds that Africa and the Middle East lead the world in energy transition confidence, with Europe and the Americas lagging behind as skeptics. Asia represents a middle ground, where many professionals broadly believe in the renewable energy direction, but have yet to see practical proof.

All of this, the report finds, is based largely on political stability and economic opportunity.

Additionally, the report finds that students surveyed are about 5% more optimistic at the base level than those already employed by the energy sector. More sensibly, those looking for employment in the energy sector have high hopes, with 54% showing high confidence in the energy transition.

“Young professionals are sending a clear message: they are optimistic about energy’s future, but they expect leaders to turn ambition into visible progress,” says Silvia Rigato, managing director for Accenture Middle East & Africa. “Their pragmatism, appetite for innovation and desire to help shape decisions are strengths the industry should embrace.

“By giving emerging talent meaningful influence and the skills to lead, energy companies can build the resilience and competitiveness needed for the future.”

Multiple interconnecting points of the survey tell the same story: profit outranks purpose in much of the world, and this has led to an uneven energy transition.

Energy transition fairness

Most young professionals, the report says, are willing to call the state of the energy transition “outrightly unfair.”

At 51% of responses, more than half say that “efforts are improving but some regions still lack support.” A smaller but vocal 25% say “the transition is unfair, more support is needed in emerging technologies,” with just 18% claiming total fairness when taking policy and profit into account.

The regional picture deepens the divide, according to Accenture’s analysis.

“In Africa, the Americas and the Middle East, the majority acknowledge progress but consistently flag support gaps,” the survey says. “Europe shows a more distributed view, with a higher share expressing fairness concerns relative to other regions.”

The solution to this divide in fairness is not one size fits all, and respondents gave a variety of answers on how they want their countries and governments to handle climate action. Leading the pack at 30% was the seeking of technological development to support emission reduction, with “balance emissions reduction and economic development” not far behind at 29%.

This ties into the report’s third point: how young professionals want to mix corporate strategy with both energy and future technologies.

Moving toward the future of energy

The survey says young professionals around the world “have watched major energy companies pivot back towards oil and gas in recent years.” What the sector needs more than anything is balance, respondents say.

A staggering 65% of respondents say the sector needs to balance both oil and gas, maintaining more conventional resources while still growing renewable energy. Just 18% say to invest aggressively in renewables, with even fewer saying to backtrack to oil and gas at 15%.

An even larger sect — 70% — of energy sector employees pushed for balance, with students going more idealistic at 44%. Those same students pushed heavily for renewables at 30%, and just 2% of student respondents say to backtrack to oil and gas.

The future of energy, respondents say, runs on a delicately constructed cocktail of energy sources. Solar, batteries, and diversified portfolios are key, especially in the age of AI and data center buildouts.

This level of opportunity and innovation is bringing the next generation into the energy industry in droves, the report finds. Global disruption is growing the industry, it adds, not shying the youth away from it, with 72% of respondents saying they have intent to stay in the sector for a decade or more, and 66% saying the work is meaningful and aligns with their values.

“Energy is entering a period of generational change,” says Shamus Hardie, chair of the WPC Energy Young Professionals Committee. “Young professionals are already contributing, already engaged and already invested in the future of the industry. The challenge for leaders is whether they are prepared to listen and create space for the next generation to help shape that future.”

Tags: Accenture, clean energy transition, research, survey, WPC Energy