How can we achieve a low-carbon, high-energy future?

The author contends that focusing exclusively on reducing CO2 emissions leads to political gridlock, particularly for emerging economies where energy access is critical for poverty alleviation. The text argues that a 'low-carbon, high-energy future' cannot rely on renewables alone due to their current low market share (less than 1% for wind and solar combined) and the long timescales required for energy infrastructure transitions. Instead, it advocates for a 'full energy system perspective' that combines renewables with low-carbon thermal power, such as natural gas, and encourages cross-sector collaboration to avoid the failures of past negotiations like COP 15.

• Global energy demand is expected to rise significantly as the population grows to 9 billion by 2050, with energy use in emerging economies predicted to double in that timeframe.
• Relying solely on renewable energy for a low-carbon transition is impractical in the short term because wind and solar currently provide less than 1% of global primary energy and new energy sources typically take 30 years to reach a 1% market share.
• A viable energy transition requires a balanced approach that integrates renewables with low-carbon thermal power generation, such as natural gas, to manage the high capital costs and intermittency of solar and wind power.
• The author cites the bilateral climate agreement between the United States and China as a successful example of pragmatic collaboration, specifically noting their shared focus on replacing coal and utilizing carbon capture and storage.

APA

Bentham, J. (2015). How can we achieve a low-carbon, high-energy future? World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/stories/energy-transition/how-can-we-achieve-a-low-carbon-high-energy-future/

Chicago

Bentham, Jeremy. How can we achieve a low-carbon, high-energy future? World Economic Forum, 2015. https://www.weforum.org/stories/energy-transition/how-can-we-achieve-a-low-carbon-high-energy-future/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Bentham |first1=Jeremy |title=How can we achieve a low-carbon, high-energy future? |publisher=World Economic Forum |date=18 January 2015 |url=https://www.weforum.org/stories/energy-transition/how-can-we-achieve-a-low-carbon-high-energy-future/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{bentham2015how, author = {Bentham, Jeremy}, title = {{How can we achieve a low-carbon, high-energy future?}}, publisher = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2015}, month = jan, url = {https://www.weforum.org/stories/energy-transition/how-can-we-achieve-a-low-carbon-high-energy-future/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }