How will energy shape global power in 2026 and beyond?
In GZERO’s 2026 Top Risks livestream, Gerald Butts, Senior Advisor at Eurasia Group, breaks down the growing US-China competition for energy dominance.
“Fundamentally, it’s about what energy system is going to be the primary one for the 21st century,” Butts explains. China has bet on the electron, building a high-tech “electrostate” that powers both its economy and national security, while the US consolidates conventional energy under its economic and security umbrella.
Butts emphasizes, “That’s all pre-game. We’re about to see the puck dropped in 2026, and it...
How will energy shape global power in 2026 and beyond?
In GZERO’s 2026 Top Risks livestream, Gerald Butts, Senior Advisor at Eurasia Group, breaks down the growing US-China competition for energy dominance.
“Fundamentally, it’s about what energy system is going to be the primary one for the 21st century,” Butts explains. China has bet on the electron, building a high-tech “electrostate” that powers both its economy and national security, while the US consolidates conventional energy under its economic and security umbrella.
Butts emphasizes, “That’s all pre-game. We’re about to see the puck dropped in 2026, and it’s still an open game as to who wins.”
To read more on Top Risks for 2026, head to gzeromedia.com/toprisks