There are strong reasons to invest in energy transition and decarbonization

It is urgent to communicate adequately and engage society in a broad movement that results in public acceptance of the fact that we will have to bear the costs of the energy transition, if we do not want to face the socio-environmental and geopolitical costs of doing nothing in time or doing very little. This debate has been encapsulated in academic circles or in internet bubbles where much is said, little is heard and almost no one communicates effectively.

Firstly, without accessible and abundant energy, humanity cannot develop. We will have to increase, not reduce, energy production, because there is still a huge contingent of people who do not even have enough energy to meet the minimum conditions for a dignified life (IEA, 2022). Based on this premise, we either seek new ways to generate and consume energy, or it will be better to sit back and wait for a future that is not very promising, according to scientific predictions.

The planet reflects human action

Climate change and its effects are an undeniable reality. Floods, droughts, fires, heat and cold waves, migration crises, food shortages, and increasingly frequent disasters are undoubtedly imbalances resulting from the excess greenhouse gases we release into the atmosphere and the waste we dump into rivers and oceans (IPCC 2021).

Our planet spent billions of years absorbing gases and other toxic substances into its interior and at the bottom of the seas during the cooling process. And in this process, it formed the atmosphere, this thin layer of gases and particles that miraculously protects us from the harsh elements of the outside world, providing conditions for the flourishing of life as we know it.

Over the last 11,000 years (more or less), in the Holocene, we developed what we now call human society. And along the way, we discovered ways to obtain and transform minerals and energy sources, exploiting Nature's resources.

It turns out that about 200 years ago we began an accelerated process of energy production and consumption that has given us levels of prosperity and technological and economic development that would astonish any inhabitant of another planet who arrived here. We will not address the issue of the inequality trail in this process here.

We have recently realized that this pattern of unbridled production and consumption has put us on a collision course with the planet's ability to process our waste, that is, the greenhouse gases we release and the garbage we dump.

Finally, we have realized that the planet does not regenerate itself at the same speed at which we generate gases and waste.

Science tells us that the solution would be to change the way we produce and consume energy. Energy production and consumption patterns are key factors and changing them is essential for our survival (IEA 2022).

Starting to produce and consume energy with low environmental impact; seeking more efficient forms of consumption; redistributing geographically and reducing per capita energy consumption. Yes, this will require a lot of international cooperation, as well as technology and investment.

There seems to be a great consensus on the diagnosis

Now, we need to convince those who produce and consume energy, products and services that we should make such efforts, i.e. invest more, redistribute consumption, pay more for energy and products, reduce return margins, increase financial risks, collaborate to reduce social inequalities... and so on. All this in a polarized environment, where the level of trust in leaders is somewhat shaken, where there is uncertainty about the geopolitical effects of these changes.

It is therefore not difficult to understand the complexity of the moment we are living in, the weight of the decisions and actions that history is placing on the shoulders of our generation.

Reports from highly reputable international organizations such as the IEA, IPCC, IRENA, DOE, WEC, IPHE, IMO, etc., indicate that the decisions we make in the current decade will determine the success or failure of the transition process to a low-carbon economy.

It is up to government leaders, academia, investors and the private sector in general to clearly communicate to society the demands imposed by the climate crisis and the solutions available for decarbonization, as well as to engage all of us in this process, helping to fairly share the burdens and benefits, as much as possible.

Above all, it is up to each of us to seek reliable information and learn about these issues that are crucial for our survival and that of future generations. And to take daily measures to reduce our own carbon footprint. To ensure the future of Humanity. Because the Planet was here long before us and will remain here without us, if we decide (through action or paralysis) that it is not worth the effort.

However, the feeling of naturalness that we have seen in the face of the impacts of extreme climate events remains. It seems that the greater media exposure of human and material losses has made people less sensitive to the relevance of the problem and the need for more qualified discussion about solutions and their implementation, in addition to the urgency of influencing decision-makers in favor of more assertive public policies in addressing these difficulties.

The clock is not on our side.

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About the author of the comment:

Carlos Peixoto is the co-founder and CEO of H2helium Projetos de Energia. He is a volunteer Communications Director for the Brazilian Hydrogen Association - ABH2 and a member of the RJ Executive Committee of the British Chamber of Commerce and Industry for Brazil - Britcham, the Energy Business Council of the Rio de Janeiro Commercial Association - ACRJ and the CCS Brazil Carbon Capture and Storage Association.