2026 RESULTS IN 3 EUROPEAN COUNTRIES AND TURKEY SHOWS THAT IT IS URGENT TO PASS FROM THEORIES TO ACTION, BOOSTING INVESTMENTS ON NEW CLEAN TECHNOLOGIES, WHILE THE COUNTRY’S AWARENESS OF THE ENERGY TRANSITION RISES TO 98%

  • “Climate Goals” Research is the first global picture on how the perception on the energy transition grows across geographies, economies and society. Fondazione MAIRE - ETS, together with Ipsos Doxa, has been monitoring public awareness on the energy transition worldwide since 2023, involving around 3000 individuals – update with the new Turkey wave and 26 experts across 17 countries in 4 continents
  • Germany and India lead in awareness; India, Qatar and UAE have the highest perception of priority, Poland the lowest. China leads in considering Investments in the energy transition ad a competitive lever
  • A new survey in Turkey, host country of COP31, shows a more informed public: 98% have heard of the energy transition (against 90% in 2023) and 49% are very familiar with it (47% in 2023)
  • +7% against 2023 see the transition as a priority for the country but attention shifts from generic benefits to the concrete conditions needed to deliver the transition

Antalya, 13 November 2026 – Fondazione MAIRE – ETS brought its research “Climate Goals. Winning the challenge of climate goals through the creation of skills and competences worldwide” (Addendum 3, 2026 edition), to COP31, in Antalya, as a guest of OICE at the Italia Pavilion. Presented by Ilaria Catastini, General Manager of the Foundation, the fourth edition of the study shows data coming from around 3000 interviews across 17[1] countries and 4 continents, and features a data refresh dedicated to Turkey, the host country of the Conference.

Promoted by Fondazione MAIRE – ETS and carried out with Ipsos Doxa, with the support of MAIRE, the research has been tracking public awareness of the energy transition worldwide since 2023, looking beyond low- or zero-emission energy production to include the transformation of industrial processes, products, business models, distribution systems, and the skills required to enable this shift. In 2026 the Foundation decided to run a new wave in Turkey – included since the first edition of the study – to assess whether perceptions had changed significantly over three years.

The public is more informed and more focused on practicalities. In 2026, 98% of respondents say they have at least heard of the energy transition (against 90% in 2023), while high familiarity remains broadly stable at 49% (47% in 2023). The share of those who see the transition as a priority for the country rises from 37% to 44%, while its personal importance decreases from 70% to 62%: environmental, energy and employment benefits are still recognised, but less strongly than in 2023.

Attention is shifting from the “generic” benefits of the transition to the concrete conditions needed to deliver it. Among the opportunities, the development of new infrastructure (25% vs 21%) and the training of professionals (18% vs 11%) gain prominence; among the challenges, respondents place greater weight on defining effective energy and environmental policies (38% vs 33%) and on international collaboration (21% vs 16%).

Confidence in the availability of trained professionals is strengthening: 72% of respondents consider the supply of technical professionals in Turkey adequate (60% in 2023) and 87% feel prepared to face the transition (74%) even if 91% continue to consider dedicated education and training programmes important.

Governments are asked to support innovation and create the conditions for investment: in Turkey the top priority is funding new technologies to improve energy efficiency (38%), followed by promoting collaboration between government and private players (28%), investing in alternative fuels (27%) and financial incentives for clean technologies (27%).

Once again this year, MAIRE chose to take part in the UN Climate Change Conference by presenting the findings of its research, reaffirming the importance we place on multilateralism in addressing complex issues such as energy transition. Multilateralism, however, must go hand in hand with concrete action. The guiding theme of COP31 is implementing global climate action and turning decisions into tangible, measurable results. This is precisely the need that emerges from our research: concrete action and feasibility.

MAIRE is present in Turkey through Tecnimont’s branch Office in Istanbul, part of the Group’s Anatolia and Central Asia region, alongside Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan. It serves as a strategic bridge among Europe, the Caspian and Central Asia to support the industrialization of the energy transition model of the Group.

Fabrizio Di Amato, Chairman of MAIRE and Fondazione MAIRE – ETS, remarked: “Awareness of the energy transition is no longer the issue: the challenge is now execution. The data coming from this unique research by Fondazione MAIRE – ETS show people moving from generic benefits to the concrete conditions that make the transition possible – infrastructure, effective policies, international cooperation, investments in new technologies and, above all, skills. This is why MAIRE and Fondazione MAIRE keep investing in the growth of technical and transversal skills that turn climate goals into projects”.

[1] The research draws insights from 3,000 individuals and integrates the views of 26 experts in 17 countries across 4 continents: Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE for the Middle East; India, China, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkey for Asia; USA, Chile and Argentina for the Americas; Algeria in Africa; Germany, Italy, Poland, The Netherlands and UK for Europe.