Siemens: What are the Climate Priorities of Global Execs?

Geopolitical turbulence is not only threatening key supply chains, it is reshaping global energy and infrastructure strategies.

According to the Siemens Infrastructure Transition Monitor 2025, national energy security has overtaken global climate collaboration as the top driver of the energy transition.

The study, which surveyed 1,400 senior executives and government representatives across 19 countries, highlights an accelerating shift towards resilient, sovereign and digitally-enabled energy systems.

Has decarbonisation been relegated?

Rising global instability has intensified supply chain volatility and governments are responding by prioritising energy security, independence and preparedness alongside climate mitigation.

What began as a global effort to decarbonise has evolved into a pursuit of energy autonomy – one that views resilience not as a trade-off, but as an essential enabler of net zero progress.

“The infrastructure transition is entering a new phase whereby national goals of energy security are overtaking global collaboration on decarbonisation,” said Matthias Rebellius, Managing Board Member of Siemens AG and CEO of Smart Infrastructure.

“As systems face mounting climate and energy disruptions, resilience is no longer optional – AI, technology and digitalisation are now critical to this shift.”

From global cooperation to national resilience

Over three in five (62%) leaders believe future energy systems will rely more on local or regional production than global trade.

This signals a structural shift in how countries approach energy strategy. Renewable integration, storage readiness and advanced grid systems are emerging as critical enablers of self-sufficiency.

More than half of respondents report that resilience (53%) and energy independence (52%) are reaching maturity within their countries.

The infrastructure priorities of 2025 therefore look markedly different from two years ago – placing sovereignty and local capability at the core of transition planning.

However, while this trend boosts national preparedness, it also reflects a decline in global confidence around shared climate ambitions.

The report warns that, unless resilience is embedded within climate strategies, economic and environmental progress could be jeopardised.

Confidence in climate targets begins to waver

As resilience and independence take precedence, optimism about reaching global climate targets is slipping.

According to the ITM 2025, 57% of global executives expect an increase in fossil fuel investment over the next two years, while only 37% now believe they will achieve their 2030 decarbonisation targets – down from 44% in 2023.

This downturn in confidence arrives at a critical moment.

Siemens warns that failing to integrate resilience into long-term planning could risk economic disruption and slow the global clean energy transition.

The report stresses that progress is still possible through sustained investment in digital innovation and grid modernisation.

These are key levers for accelerating resilience and decarbonisation simultaneously.

Digitalisation and AI at the core of transformation

Digitalisation ranks as the second most important factor for accelerating the clean energy transition, behind only energy storage.

The study reveals that 66% of respondents believe AI is making critical infrastructure more resilient, while 59% are already using it to help decarbonise their operations.

For Matthias, the opportunity is clear. He says: “AI, technology and digitalisation can empower organisations and governments to manage the complexities of renewable-based systems, ensure reliability and accelerate the clean energy transition smarter and more sustainably.”

Energy resilience and digital capability are becoming inseparable. Grids enhanced by AI and digital twins offer greater visibility, flexibility and efficiency – essential for managing fluctuating renewables and electric vehicle demand.

Yet regulatory barriers and legacy market designs continue to limit progress.

Building flexibility into energy markets

According to the report, the future lies in flexibility markets – systems that allow real-time, cross-border management of renewable energy flows.

Collaboration between government and industry is emerging as a strategic must for these markets to scale effectively.

“We’re not just building infrastructure anymore. We’re building flexibility markets. That’s the only way to respond fast enough, cost-effectively, across borders,” says Daniela Haldy-Sellmann, SVP & General Manager of Energy and Natural Resources Industries at SAP.

Autonomous grids capable of self-healing, load balancing and real-time optimisation are no longer distant ambitions.

With 72% of energy-sector respondents expecting AI to transform their operations within three years, many are already preparing for a new era of intelligent, automated energy management.

Industrial decarbonisation accelerates with AI

Industrial organisations remain at the centre of the global economy and face the toughest decarbonisation challenges.

Yet between 2023 and 2025, many made progress in renewable energy, electrifying operations and embedding science-based targets into corporate strategy.

However, cost pressures are intensifying. More companies now prioritise short-term revenue and expenditure considerations when defining decarbonisation pathways. Despite this, electrification continues to be viewed as the most realistic route to net zero.

Industrial respondents are calling for smarter, more integrated grids that can synchronise with their own assets.

Many are using AI and digital twins to optimise production, manage energy loads in real time and improve resilience across operations.

Policy uncertainty remains a key barrier.

Over half of industrial respondents say unclear energy policies delay their investment decisions in clean technologies.

Stable regulation, the report argues, is essential to unlock long-term capital commitments and accelerate the industrial transition.

A call to embed resilience into strategy

The Infrastructure Transition Monitor 2025 finds that progress across the energy transition is tangible but uneven.

Resilient supply now tops governmental priorities, followed by renewable expansion, energy storage and digitalisation.

The message is clear: resilience and decarbonisation must evolve together.

By investing in digital grids, AI-enabled systems, and cross-sector partnerships, governments and industries can strengthen energy independence and sustainability.

As Siemens concludes, resilience is not an obstacle to climate action, it is the foundation that will sustain it.