outside asia the middle east experiences the fastest rate of increase at over per year primary energy demand in oecd countries grows by around from to while the united states remains the secondlargest energy consumer in the world in its total energy demand is only slightly higher than in from consuming less than half as much energy as the united states in it now consumes slightly more and in the weo new policies scenario it is projected to consume nearly more than the united states in despite this china s percapita energy consumption is still at less than half the level of the united states in consequently the global energy projections in the world energy outlook remain highly sensitive to the underlying assumptions for the key variables that drive energy demand in china including prospects for economic growth changes in economic structure developments in energy and environmental policies and the rate of urbanisation