AN ENERGY REVOLUTION IS POSSIBLE

The report asserts that an 'Energy Revolution' is financially viable if governments end tax avoidance and evasion. It calculates that the annual cost to power half the world with 100% renewable energy—approximately $507 billion—is well below the estimated $600 billion in annual government revenue lost to tax havens. The document advocates for a just energy transition based on democratic control and energy access as a human right, specifically targeting the global South.

• Government revenue lost to tax havens could fund a transition to 100% renewable energy for Africa, Latin America, and much of Asia. The estimated average annual investment required to achieve this for half the world by 2030 is $507 billion, which is lower than the estimated annual losses from tax havens.
• The total extra investment required to achieve 100% renewable energy by 2030 across three key regions is $7,603 billion. This is broken down as $4,937 billion for 'Other Asia' (non-OECD countries including India), $1,501 billion for Africa, and $1,165 billion for Latin America.
• Global tax losses due to corporate tax avoidance are estimated by the IMF to be up to $600 billion per year. Additionally, approximately $190 billion is lost annually through tax evasion via the non-declaration of offshore assets.
• A 100% renewable energy system must be guided by principles of justice and sustainability, including treating energy access as a basic human right, ensuring direct democratic control, using locally-appropriate technologies, and respecting communities' rights to free, prior and informed consent.
• The proposed renewable energy mix for the global South would rely heavily on variable renewables with storage (62-88%), including wind, solar PV, and concentrating solar thermal power, supplemented by geothermal, existing hydro dams, and minimal bioenergy (2-4%).

APA

Hearps, P., & Cossar-Gilbert, S. (2016). AN ENERGY REVOLUTION IS POSSIBLE. Friends of the Earth International. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Summary-FINAL-2.pdf

Chicago

Hearps, Patrick, and Sam Cossar-Gilbert. AN ENERGY REVOLUTION IS POSSIBLE. Friends of the Earth International, 2016. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Summary-FINAL-2.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Hearps |first1=Patrick |last2=Cossar-Gilbert |first2=Sam |title=AN ENERGY REVOLUTION IS POSSIBLE |publisher=Friends of the Earth International |date=September 2016 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Summary-FINAL-2.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{hearps2016energy, author = {Hearps, Patrick and Cossar-Gilbert, Sam}, title = {{AN ENERGY REVOLUTION IS POSSIBLE}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2016}, month = sep, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Summary-FINAL-2.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }