WORLD ENERGY TRANSITIONS OUTLOOK, Â preview
Current energy structures were designed to support fossil fuels and must be re-designed to support renewable energy systems. The emphasis must shift from supply to demand, toward overcoming the structural obstacles that impede progress.
This preview outlines three priority pillars - physical infrastructure; policy and regulatory enablers; and a well-skilled workforce - that must be addressed simultaneously, requiring significant investment and a new paradigm for international co-operation in which all actors can engage in the transition and play an optimal role.
There is no time for a new energy system to evolve gradually over more than a century - as was the case for the fossil fuel-based system. We simply cannot continue with incremental changes if we are to achieve the necessary reductions in carbon emissions to meet climate goals. The Global Stocktake concluding at COP28 in the United Arab Emirates presents the opportunity to assess requirements and determine the best path to rapid, lasting change. To this end, the forthcoming World Energy Transitions Outlook will provide a comprehensive assessment of the energy transition and propose effective ways to accelerate progress following this important climate action milestone.
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