Applied Hope

In this 2011 commencement speech at the University of California at Berkeley, Amory Lovins advocates for "applied hope"—a pragmatic, action-oriented approach to solving global crises. He argues that the most effective way to improve the future is through tangible, scalable solutions that leverage resource efficiency to turn scarcity into abundance. Lovins envisions a future where oil, coal, and nuclear energy are phased out in favor of energy efficiency, distributed renewables, and combined-heat-and-power, leading to stabilized global climates and the end of energy-driven conflicts.

• The author distinguishes "applied hope" from optimism, describing the former as a "deliberate choice of heart and head" and a "stance, not an assessment," whereas optimism treats the future as fate and can "mask cowardice."
• Lovins argues that the most effective way to address global problems is to improve the future through solutions that are "tangibly, durably, reproducibly, and scalably" implemented, favoring transformation over incrementalism.
• Using the "Operation Cat Drop" incident in Borneo as a parable, the author warns that failing to understand systemic connections can lead to solutions that actually cause new problems, suggesting instead that "hidden connections" should be harnessed to create multiplying solutions.
• Lovins envisions a future where oil, coal, and nuclear energy are completely phased out, replaced by lower-cost competitors including energy efficiency, distributed renewables, combined-heat-and-power, and advanced biofuels that do not use cropland.
• The document describes a sustainable future where carbon emissions decline profitably because "saving fuel costs less than buying fuel," leading to a stabilized global climate.
• The author promotes a circular economy model based on the lead of Ray C. Anderson, where industries "take nothing, waste nothing, and do no harm," utilizing biomimicry and integrative engineering to create abundance.

APA

Lovins, A. B. (2011). Applied Hope. RMI. https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_2011-06_UCBCommencement.pdf

Chicago

Lovins, Amory B. Applied Hope. RMI, 2011. https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_2011-06_UCBCommencement.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Lovins |first1=Amory B. |title=Applied Hope |publisher=RMI |date=15 May 2011 |url=https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_2011-06_UCBCommencement.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{lovins2011applied, author = {Lovins, Amory B.}, title = {{Applied Hope}}, publisher = {RMI}, year = {2011}, month = may, url = {https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_2011-06_UCBCommencement.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }