GOOD ENERGY BAD ENERGY?

The document argues that the global energy system is unsustainable and unjust, driven by neoliberalism and extractivism. It details the environmental and social harms of fossil fuels, nuclear power, and certain 'clean' alternatives, while warning against 'techno-fixes' and corporate-led transitions. It advocates for a decentralized, democratically controlled system that prioritizes basic human rights to energy and a just transition for workers.

• The current global energy system is fundamentally unsustainable and unjust, with fossil fuel use accounting for 57 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions.
• Severe global inequalities exist in energy access and consumption; approximately 1.3 billion people lack electricity and 2.6 billion lack clean cooking facilities, while consumption in the global North vastly exceeds that of the global South.
• The report identifies several energy sources as destructive, including coal, oil, gas, nuclear power, mega dams, industrial agrofuels/biomass, and waste-to-energy incineration, citing impacts such as land grabbing, pollution, and human rights abuses.
• The energy system is driven by 'extractivism', an economic model rooted in colonial exploitation of natural resources in developing countries, further accelerated by neoliberal policies that prioritize private profit over social and environmental concerns.
• The report warns of a 'climate trap' where the transition to renewables may be co-opted by corporations, potentially leading to new forms of land grabbing, human rights abuses, and the privatization of energy infrastructure.
• Certain climate solutions are dismissed as 'techno-fixes' or 'false solutions' that lock in fossil fuel dependency, specifically carbon trading, carbon capture and storage (CCS), and geoengineering.
• A just and sustainable energy system should be based on 'energy sovereignty', characterized by direct democratic control, decentralization, and the recognition of energy access as a basic human right.
• Achieving a sustainable system requires reducing overall energy dependence in industrialised countries through transformations in industrial agriculture, transport, and energy efficiency.

APA

Clifton, S.-J., & Bhatnagar, D. (2013). GOOD ENERGY BAD ENERGY? Friends of the Earth International. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Good-energy-bad-energy.pdf

Chicago

Clifton, Sarah-Jayne, and Dipti Bhatnagar. GOOD ENERGY BAD ENERGY? Friends of the Earth International, 2013. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Good-energy-bad-energy.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Clifton |first1=Sarah-Jayne |last2=Bhatnagar |first2=Dipti |title=GOOD ENERGY BAD ENERGY? |publisher=Friends of the Earth International |date=2013 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Good-energy-bad-energy.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{clifton2013good, author = {Clifton, Sarah-Jayne and Bhatnagar, Dipti}, title = {{GOOD ENERGY BAD ENERGY?}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2013}, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Good-energy-bad-energy.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }