Unequal environmental burdens amid uneven economic gains in the global low-carbon power transition

Summary The ongoing transition from fossil fuels to low-carbon power is reshaping global power supply chains, redistributing environmental pressures and economic benefits across economies. Yet, the extent, pathways, and equity implications of this redistribution remain insufficiently understood. Here, we trace and compare the cross-border relocation of environmental pressures and value added linked to the consumption of fossil fuel-based and low-carbon power from 1995 to 2019. We find that developed regions increasingly outsource a larger share of associated pressures to developing regions while capturing a disproportionate share (more than 83%) of value added from the low-carbon power transition. Consequently, environmental inequality deepens: developed economies benefit from the transition (EV ratio < 1), whereas developing countries face rising burdens with limited economic returns (EV ratio still greater than 1). These results highlight the need for more equitable and sustainable low-carbon supply chains to achieve a just energy transition.