Imagine we're all on a boat.
This boat is headed toward a cleaner, more sustainable future.
Some people on the boat are sitting comfortably.
Some are desperately still trying to climb aboard.
We wouldn't just leave them behind...
... right?
...Big transitions require careful and intentional planning.
But how can we measure how on track we are toward an equitable energy transition?
Equitably transitioning to clean energy involves meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement while also fulfilling the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7). SDG7 outlines access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.
The world Resources Institute has identified 13 key barriers to change that could act as enablers if they are on the right track.
On our boat voyage to equitable energy, the global barriers are like massive icebergs in our way.
Some of these metrics include how responsibly we source resources, whether new jobs and industries are created inclusively, and how financial support flows across borders.
But let's take a closer look at what exactly these 13 barriers are.
What if I told you that for 10 out of 13 of these icebergs to change, we only had sufficient global data for 3?
Missing data for these barriers is like clouds covering the icebergs in our way. Without being able to see or react to our obstacles, it's much harder to allocate resources appropriately.
But what does "missing data" mean?
Nearly half of all data gaps on the Systems Change Lab platform—around 50 percent—exist because no data has ever been collected.
Another large share, about 40 percent, occurs when data does exist but does not provide global coverage.
A smaller slice, less than 10%, reflects information that is available only for a short timeframe and fewer than 5% of data gaps are the result of data being collected but kept private.
These figures are based on the WRI's System's Change Lab data set status in January 2025.
What data do we have?
Even with these gaps, there 3 areas where we do have strong data. The following data help us see both progress and barriers.
1. Public spending on labor markets
Government support for workers in declining industries is essential to a just transition.
Active labor market policies (ALMPs) help reduce unemployment risk by upgrading workers' skills to meet the demands of emerging jobs, aligning labor supply with market needs.
Public spending that supports workforce transitions can be categorized into the following areas:
- Employment incentives
- sheltered and supported employment and rehabilitation
- Training
- direct job creation
- public employment services and administration
- start up incentives
Funding for Worker Transition Programs
Spending on active labor market policies (ALMPs) differs widely across countries and often rises during periods of economic disruption.
Between 2000 and 2010, several countries saw significant increases in ALMP expenditure as a share of GDP. For instance, the governments of Brazil, Argentina, and Chile spent at least 0.3% more within this decade.
Another barrier we can actively track is Human rights in critical minerals mining.
The energy transition will nearly triple the demand for rare Earth metals such as cobalt, copper, lithium, nickel, zinc by 2030.
As mining increases, there are well documented instances of abuse, from environmental damage to worker exploitation and community displacement.
The Transition Minerals Tracker records human rights abuse allegations in critical mineral mining, which has drastically increased in the past decade.
Reported human rights allegations in critical minerals mining
Ensuring an equitable energy transition will require worker conditions in minerals mining to improve through increased awareness of the issue and global shifts in mining policy.
The last barrier we can effectively observe are National electrification plans across the world.
This means having concrete plans to transfer from technologies reliant on fossil fuels to ones that run on electricity.
This shift is especially critical in sectors like transportation, heating, and industry.
Without it, reducing emissions in these areas and reaching global net-zero targets will be incredibly difficult.
Countries with Strong Electrification Plans
In 2000, 1.3 billion people lived without electricity and by 2021, that number was cut in half. Most of the people still waiting are in Sub-Saharan Africa.
But if we want to reach everyone by 2030, we’ll need to move twice as fast as we have in the last five years.
Data isn't just a technical detail.
Information is a a tool for accountability.
If we want a truly just transition, we need to invest not only in clean energy, but in the systems that track its impact on people.