If the whole world were to follow the recent example of the poorest and most vulnerable countries to the impacts of climate change, we would probably find ourselves in a less dire situation. At least when it comes to the development of renewable energy. This is the finding of a study published by British think tank Ember, which has highlighted the "extraordinary" progress achieved by 74 member states of the Climate Vulnerable Forum, the organisation of nations that suffer most from the climate crisis.

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@TheCVF "For the first time, developing countries can build a cheaper, more reliable energy path to prosperity on their own terms," says report author Daan Walter.

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Solar power: a third of Climate Vulnerable Forum nations have overtaken the US

The countries in question — African, Asian, South American and Pacific — account for 3.9 per cent of global GDP, yet are home to 1.7 billion people (of whom around 500 million still lack access to electricity). For them, the development of renewables means seizing the opportunity to break free from conditions that are often marked by severe economic and social underdevelopment.

According to the Ember report, a third of these states have already overtaken the United States in terms of the share of energy generated from photovoltaic solar in their national energy mixes. And around ten of them are doing better than the North American nation in terms of share of final consumption too (which in the US stands at 20 per cent). These figures could moreover be significantly underestimated, since statistics in many cases are incomplete, and 80 per cent of the forum's member states have been found to have imported, since 2017, at least three times as many solar panels as the officially recorded installed capacity.

"In recent years we have witnessed something miraculous"

In particular, in Namibia the share of electricity generation from photovoltaic solar rose from 6 to 35 per cent between 2017 and 2024. In Morocco, the wind energy share has doubled since 2018. In Ethiopia, the vehicle fleet has gone from 1 to 6 per cent electric vehicles. Similarly, in Vietnam 250,000 electric bicycles and scooters were sold in 2024 alone.

"Over the past two to three years, we have witnessed something truly miraculous," commented Daan Walter, director of Ember. "The world's poorest nations, which are often presented as the laggards in the energy transition, have managed to make giant strides forward."

The key factor: the enormous fall in the cost of renewables

What has above all enabled less developed nations to benefit from the advantages of renewables is one factor: the enormous drop in costs seen in recent years. This, combined with the ease of installation — particularly for smaller systems — has allowed clean energy sources to take hold.

But even when it comes to larger infrastructure, Ember points out that the investment required for a solar farm is now lower than that needed for a coal or gas plant. "For emerging economies, this is the key element," Walter continues. "We are living through a crucial moment. Countries with limited resources are no longer forced to choose fossil fuels." Which means freeing themselves from a dependency that carries an enormous financial burden.

The process of electrification and energy efficiency is also benefiting from the same dynamic: the London-based think tank's report highlights how, over the past fifteen years, prices have also plummeted for LED bulbs, air conditioners, refrigerators, and electric hobs. The falls have ranged from 27 to 95 per cent.