The United States used more energy in 2018 than ever before. While clean energy powered some of it, 80% came from fossil fuels.

China's central government has turned to regional integration for the country's next stage of economic development, announcing or strengthening mega-region initiatives like the Yangtze River Delta Integration, Greater Bay Area Development and Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Integration. If done right, this strategy can also help shift China onto a low-carbon pathway.

While the number of people without electricity has dropped, experts predict that more than 600 million will still lack power in 2030. Nine out of 10 of them will live in sub-Saharan Africa.