Barriers to energy transition: Comparing developing with developed countries

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a key element of national action plans and often involves transitioning to cleaner energy sources. However, developing countries face distinct challenges in this transition due to factors such as poverty, energy security needs, infrastructure limitations, and the need for sustained economic growth.

This paper presents a comparative analysis of systemic and country-specific barriers to the energy transition in developed and developing countries, highlighting both shared and unique obstacles.

Using the PRISMA methodology, 55 studies from the Scopus and Web of Science databases were reviewed, identifying 37 barriers categorized into seven dimensions: Political and Regulatory, Governance and Institutional, Sociocultural, Technological, Economic and Financial, Market, and Geographical and Ecological.

Findings show that the “lack of specialized technical staff” within the Technological dimension is a barrier unique to developing countries. In contrast, barriers such as ambiguity and uncertainty in public policies and the inadequate legal and/or regulatory framework within the Political and Regulatory dimension, and the high investment cost barrier within the Economic and Financial dimension are the main barriers common to both developing and developed countries.