Flipping the switch towards a just and regenerative energy transition

Current trends show that we are drifting further away from our climate goals. Without addressing systemic flaws, our transition efforts will fall short.

Energy isn't solely about powering economies—it's about fostering resilience and well-being for all. It's time to abandon the old, extractive energy system for a bold, just, and regenerative one.

To fix the system, we need to embrace a just and regenerative mindset. We need to turbocharge radical decarbonisation using renewables and carbon-neutral sources. We need to reimagine how we conceive, produce, consume, and value energy with and for people, and delineate just transition pathways to empower people to navigate the rapidly evolving and uncertain energy landscape. 

Are you ready to flip the switch? 

Explore this special Energy Spotlight edition of our newsletter where we are shining a light on Forum for the Future's work to enable a deep and urgent energy transition. The Spotlight covers:

• Our areas of focus;
• New insights and perspectives on key questions facing the energy transition;
• A future-focused look at the energy system.

Where is Forum focusing?

By 2030, we want to have enabled a socially just and ecologically safe transition to a renewable energy system that works for people and the planet.

To do this, we are focused on three areas where we believe our skills, expertise and experience can make a real difference:

To deliver a truly just and regenerative energy transition, our failures tell us to delve deeper

As we reimagine our energy landscape, it's crucial to rethink consumption patterns, ensure equitable access, and empower change makers. In his compelling exploration, Forum's Global Head - Energy System Transition, Kunal Sharma writes about the critical shifts necessary for an equitable and sustainable energy transition.  ​

Can hydrogen bring about true transformation of our energy systems?

Interest has been growing in hydrogen’s potential as an alternative to fossil fuels. But does hydrogen, as an energy carrier, support our most hopeful imaginations?  Can it really create a future that is just and regenerative, fundamentally changing how we perceive, produce, and consume energy?

Forum’s Project Officer, Annabel Johnstone, explores these questions, examining whether hydrogen's development and deployment represent innovation or familiarity.

In the race to secure critical minerals, critical needs must be addressed

Critical minerals are key to the energy transition, but also pose big risks. Forum’s India Energy Transition Lead, Saksham Nijhawan and Senior Change Designer, Neil Walker, dissect the challenges and opportunities surrounding these essential elements for renewable energy technologies – and propose a just and regenerative way forward. 

Funding energy transitions: how can we get more bang out of each green buck? 

India requires 293 billion USD for its renewable energy targets by 2030, a considerable investment. But what if this funding could accomplish more than just decarbonisation? What if it could also promote health, livelihoods, economic and social resilience? 

Explore reflections from Forum's Managing Director - India, Anna Biswas, on Business Insider, on how financiers can broaden the impact of funding beyond decarbonisation, empowering the renewable energy sector to achieve multiple objectives and maximise its impact.

Community-centred approaches are key to a just energy transition
Listening, understanding and responding to the needs of stakeholders impacted by renewable energy projects can directly address challenges that arise.
 
Forum’s Strategist, Anjali Kannangath, outlines in The Business Times how community-centred approaches have the potential to create lasting impact, and are already doing so in parts of the world.