Energy Transitions and Investment in Emerging Markets: Navigating Shifting Undercurrents

Abstract

The Energy Transitions and Investment in Emerging Markets: Navigating Shifting Undercurrents summit was convened on April 8, 2025, during a moment of profound disruption and transformation. In an era marked by the dismantling of US foreign assistance programs and rising pressures on multilateral systems, the event brought together the Duke University community and leading practitioners to take stock and ask urgent questions about what comes next. This summary highlights key insights and takeaways from the day’s conversations—from the real-time consequences of US policy shifts to the rise of country-led alternatives to aid dependence to new models for capital mobilization, enterprise resilience, and student-driven innovation. It also reflects on the evolving role of universities like Duke in supporting evidence-based policy, centering local leadership, and catalyzing inclusive, pragmatic solutions to global challenges. These discussions will help inform the next chapter of the James E. Rogers Energy Access Project’s work and offer a snapshot of a community deeply engaged in supporting the energy transition journeys across low- and middle-income countries.