an_energy_vision_for_a_planet_under_pressure_-_xo-12-002-458f53d9f9b884df.pdf

This policy brief, produced to inform the Rio+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, outlines a long-term vision for transforming global energy systems to achieve sustainability. It argues that a fundamental shift is necessary to address simultaneous challenges of energy access, climate change, air pollution, and energy security, emphasizing that such a transition is technologically and economically achievable but requires integrated policy frameworks and scaled-up investments.

• A sustainable energy transition by 2050 requires a diverse supply-side portfolio where low-carbon sources—including non-combustible renewables, bioenergy, nuclear energy, and fossil fuels with carbon capture and storage (CCS)—provide 60–80% of primary energy. In such scenarios, unabated fossil fuel use would drop from 80% in the baseline to 35% by 2050.
• Energy efficiency is identified as the most critical tool for achieving multiple policy goals. Transformation pathways typically require energy intensity improvement rates that are double the historical rate of change, achieved through strict building codes, retrofitting, and the adoption of best-available technologies in industry.
• Universal access to clean cooking and electricity by 2030 is a primary urgency, particularly in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, where the majority of the global population lacking access resides. Currently, 1.5 billion people lack electricity and 3 billion lack modern cooking fuels.
• Current energy systems cause significant health crises, resulting in approximately 5 million premature deaths annually. This includes 2.7 million deaths from outdoor air pollution and 2.2 million from household pollution caused by the incomplete combustion of solid fuels.
• Achieving sustainability targets requires annual global investments of US$1.7–2.2 trillion, significantly higher than the current level of approximately $1.3 trillion. This investment gap is highlighted by the fact that annual global fossil-fuel subsidies exceed US$0.4 trillion.
• There is a critical mismatch in research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) efforts, which are currently biased toward the supply side. Increased public RD&D is needed specifically for demand-side efficiency, where high up-front costs and long-term returns deter private investment under current market conditions.

APA

Stockholm Environment Institute (n.d.). an_energy_vision_for_a_planet_under_pressure_-_xo-12-002-458f53d9f9b884df.pdf. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/An_energy_vision_for_a_planet_under_pressure_-_XO-12-002.pdf

Chicago

Stockholm Environment Institute. an_energy_vision_for_a_planet_under_pressure_-_xo-12-002-458f53d9f9b884df.pdf. n.d. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/An_energy_vision_for_a_planet_under_pressure_-_XO-12-002.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Stockholm Environment Institute |title=an_energy_vision_for_a_planet_under_pressure_-_xo-12-002-458f53d9f9b884df.pdf |url=https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/An_energy_vision_for_a_planet_under_pressure_-_XO-12-002.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stockholmenvironmentinstitutendanenergyvisionforaplanetunderpressurexo12002458f53d9f9b884dfpdf, author = {{Stockholm Environment Institute}}, title = {{an\_energy\_vision\_for\_a\_planet\_under\_pressure\_-\_xo-12-002-458f53d9f9b884df.pdf}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, url = {https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/An_energy_vision_for_a_planet_under_pressure_-_XO-12-002.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }