We hear a lot these days about the energy transition as something that needs to happen in order to move into a decarbonized economy, and for the world to meet its climate targets. The energy transition is described as something that both needs to happen, and inevitably will happen, albeit not in time for those most at risk from climate change.
But what if the concept of energy transition, is a misguided one? Recently, Resilience has interviewed Jean-Baptiste Fressoz about his new book More and More and More, which sets out to elucidate a stark truth, namely that, ‘Despite all the technological innovation of the 20th century, the use of all raw materials has increased. The world now burns more wood and coal than ever before.’
Fressoz demurs from the view of energy transition: the idea that one more advanced energy source has replaced older more primitive kinds. In truth, he argues, it would be more accurate to say energy sources have expanded in use together, as newer ones are still dependent upon the use of the old.
For example, in the 19th Century, Fressoz points out, the UK economy used more wood to prop up mine shafts to dig coal, than it used during the whole of the 18th Century for burning. Similarly, oil did not replace coal during the 20th Century; rather the expanding oil industry required even more use of coal than previously in order to make the steel that the oil rigs needed to pump oil, and to manufacture the cars that consumed oil as petroleum.
Thus Energy Transition is a misnomer – what really happens is the expansion of all energy sources increases with industrial expansion and development, along with raw resource use expansion.
What then is the solution? If there is one for Fressoz, it is one that readers of Joy in Enough should appreciate. Fressoz argues the focus should be on examining raw material usage closely, and looking for how to decrease it, as well as reducing emissions by consuming less.
A good message to remember at Christmas!
Joy in Enough 