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Helpful prior knowledge and learning objectives
Helpful prior knowledge and learning objectives
In rural Tanzania, many families still rely on polluting fires and kerosene lamps for energy. Solar Sister is helping change this by training women to sell solar lamps and clean cookstoves in their villages. These simple tools cut costs, reduce smoke, and help children study after dark. This local project shows how clean energy can improve lives, but transforming global energy systems requires action on a much larger scale and states are critical.
Helpful prior learning:
Section 1.1.1 The economy and you, which explains what an economy is and how it is relevant to students’ lives
Section 1.1.2 The embedded economy, which explains the relationship between the economy and society and Earth’s systems
Section 5.1.1 The state as a system, which defines the state, its parts and their relationships, and some ways to classify states
Section 5.1.3 State functions, which explains the various roles of the state in providing goods and services, protecting the population, and stabilising and guiding change
Section 5.4.1 Two scenarios: ‘Too little, too late’ and ‘Giant leap’, which explains the role of scenario planning for economic transformation and outline the two future scenarios highlighted by the Earth4All model
Section S.1 What are systems?, which explains what a system is, the importance of systems boundaries, the difference between open and closed systems and the importance of systems thinking
Section S.2 Systems thinking patterns, which outlines the core components of systems thinking: distinctions (thing/other), systems (part/whole), relationships (action/reaction), and perspectives (point/view)
Section S.3 Systems diagrams and models, which explains the systems thinking in some familiar information tools as well as the symbols used to represent parts/wholes, relationships and perspectives.
Section S.5 Causal loops, feedback and tipping points, which explains the feedback loops that can stabilise or destabilise systems.
Section S.8 Leverage points, which describes various leverage points for systems change
Section S.9 System traps, which explains how system structures, like reinforcing feedback, too weak or late balancing feedback, and/or pursuing flawed goals, can create persistent problems.
Learning objectives:
explain the role of energy system transformation for The Giant Leap scenario
discuss some high-leverage recommendations from the Earth4All system model for energy transformation
In rural Tanzania, many families still rely on polluting fires and kerosene lamps for energy. Solar Sister is helping change this by training women to sell solar lamps and clean cookstoves in their villages. These simple tools cut costs, reduce smoke, and help children study after dark. This local project shows how clean energy can improve lives, but transforming global energy systems requires action on a much larger scale and states are critical.
Figure 1. Solar power delivers clean cooking and light energy, protecting human health and enabling people to do more at night.
(Credit: © Solar Sister, used with permission)
Why do we need an energy transformation?
Why do we need an energy transformation?
Energy powers homes, schools, transport, factories, and farms (Section 1.2.2). Today, fossil fuels, including coal, oil, and gas, still provide about 80% of the world’s energy. These fuels helped launch the Industrial Revolution and shape modern economies (Section 1.2.3). But burning them harms people and the planet.
Fossil fuels release greenhouse gases, disrupting the carbon cycle and causing climate change (Section 1.2.6). They also pollute the air, harm human health, and damage land, water and habitats during extraction and transport. Fossil fuel use is the major reason we are overshooting six of nine planetary boundaries (Section 1.2.7, Figure 2).
Figure 2. Planetary boundaries model
(Credit: Stockholm Resilience Centre CC BY-NC-ND 3.0)
Energy is also shared unfairly. Wealthier countries consume far more than poorer ones. Meanwhile, around 700 million people still lack access to electricity, and many of them suffer most from climate impacts (Figure 3). Energy transformation means changing how we produce and use energy so that it supports both people and planet. It requires new technologies and fairer systems that ensure all people have access to clean, affordable energy. That’s the goal of SDG 7 (Figure 4).
Figure 3. The per person energy use varies widely across the world. Many people have too little energy to meet their needs, while others consume far too much.
(Credit: Our World in Data)
Figure 4. UN SDG 7 aims to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy.
What does the Earth4All model suggest?
What does the Earth4All model suggest?
To stop dangerous climate change, the Earth4All model says we must halve carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from energy every decade to reach net zero by 2050. This requires major system change. The model suggests three strategies:
Improve energy efficiency
Electrify as many sectors as possible
Rapidly expand renewable energy
These are technical changes, but they depend on public investment and political choices. States must lead. If we focus only on economic growth and leave decisions to the market, the shift won’t be fast or fair enough. We also need to shift the economy’s goal from growth to wellbeing (Section 5.3.4).
Improve energy efficiency
Improve energy efficiency
Energy efficiency means getting the same service while using less energy. For example, LED light bulbs provide the same light using less electricity than older ones. A well-insulated house stays warm with less heating. A public bus moves more people per unit of energy than individual cars.
The Earth4All model calls for systemic efficiency. This means changing entire systems to reduce energy use and waste, including:
building design: buildings that need less artificial light, heating and cooling (Figure 5);
efficient transport: safe cycling paths, sharing transport through electric buses and trains, and compact city planning to reduce travel;
smarter electricity grids: systems that match supply and demand more efficiently using digital tools and storage.
Efficiency cuts emissions, saves money, and improves comfort. But rapid change across sectors needs public planning and support, especially in poorer countries.
Figure 5. Insulating homes is one way to reduce energy use.
(Credit: Energiesprong, CC BY 2.0)
Electrify (almost) everything
Electrify (almost) everything
Most energy today still comes from burning fuels. This includes powering cars, cooking, and heating. If these systems switch to renewable electricity sources, it helps cut emissions.
electric vehicles: electric cars, buses, and trains produce no pollution at the point of use (though production is polluting);
electric heating and cooling: heat pumps (Figure 6) and electric stoves can replace gas powered systems;
electric industry: some factories can switch from coal to renewable electricity sources
Figure 6. Many homes are now using electric heat pumps, which can be powered with renewable energy, instead of gas or oil.
(Credit: Fokke Baarssen, licensed from Adobe Stock)
Switching to electricity allows us to power more activities with clean energy. Electricity also works well with digital tools and energy-saving technologies, which can help balance supply and demand. However, delivering and storing renewable electricity at scale requires investment in smart grids, battery systems, and flexible infrastructure.
Rapidly expand renewable energy
Rapidly expand renewable energy
Renewables like solar, wind, water, and geothermal energy are naturally replenished and don’t produce greenhouse gases (Section 1.2.2). They are also becoming cheaper.
The world is already making huge progress. In 2023, global investment in renewables reached a new record. Countries like China, India, and Brazil are building massive solar and wind systems. Uruguay now gets over 90% of its electricity from renewables thanks to strong state support.
The Earth4All model calls for exponential growth in renewables, doubling clean energy sources every few years. But ownership matters. When communities or public institutions own renewable systems, the benefits are more widely shared.
What is the role of the state, and what barriers must it overcome?
What is the role of the state, and what barriers must it overcome?
Even the best technologies won’t lead to transformation without state action. The state can guide the economy, build infrastructure, and protect people through change (Section 5.1.3). Three roles are especially important.
Changing the goal of the economy
Changing the goal of the economy
As long as governments aim for endless economic growth, they will encourage businesses to produce more and sell more, even if it increases emissions. This is part of the system trap called Jevons’ paradox (Section S.9). When machines become more efficient, it can lower costs and lead to more energy use overall (Figure 8). If the goal of business and the state remains maximising profit and economic growth, then we will just be adding more renewable energy on top of fossil fuels, as we have done so far (Figure 9). We need to move away from the economic growth goal to give ourselves the space to reduce fossil fuels as we increase renewables.
Figure 9. Jevons paradox – Greater efficiency lowers costs, often driving higher output and reinforcing resource use instead of reducing it.
Figure 9. Global primary energy consumption by source since 1800. As exponential economic growth continues, we are adding renewables to fossil fuels rather than replacing them.
(Credit: Our World in Data)
That is why Earth4All calls for a shift in goals from growth to wellbeing. This means investing in basic human needs like health, education, and supporting regeneration of ecosystems rather than always chasing higher production of material goods. The state can set these new priorities in budgets, laws, and public campaigns.
Removing physical and financial barriers
Removing physical and financial barriers
Energy systems need land, skilled workers, materials, and lots of money. Some countries cannot afford this alone. We need new ways to finance the change so that all countries, especially those in the Global South, can leapfrog past polluting technologies and move straight to renewables.
States, individually and working together, can take an entrepreneurial and mission-driven approach (Section 5.1.6). This involves setting clear goals around reducing emissions and energy use and then using state financial, infrastructure, and legal resources to make it happen by investing in:
infrastructure like grids, wind farms, and public transport (Figure 10)
innovation, research, and training for green jobs
international partnerships that share knowledge and tools
laws and plans that guide clean energy development across sectors
With leadership and smart public investment, states can remove key obstacles to clean energy for all.
Figure 10. States can (and do!) fund and build large-scale infrastructure like wind and solar farms, and electricity grids for energy transportation.
(Credit: lovelyday12, licensed from Adobe Stock)
Ensuring a just transition
Ensuring a just transition
Millions work in fossil fuel industries. Some countries depend on fossil exports to fund schools and hospitals. If these systems disappear overnight without support, it could cause poverty and unrest.
At the same time, building renewable systems creates new risks. Many of the metals needed for batteries and panels come from countries in the Global South. Communities there often face land grabs, water pollution, unsafe conditions, and exploitation (Figure 11). These communities pay the price for a transition that mostly benefits richer countries.
Figure 11. Many communities in the Global South, like here in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, are harmed by the energy transition.
(Credit: Erberto Zani, licensed from Adobe Stock)
A just transition means caring for all people affected by the change—not only fossil fuel workers, but also those impacted by new resource extraction. States, individually and in global cooperation, have a responsibility to make sure that no one is left behind or exploited in the name of climate action. They can:
support fossil fuel workers with income and retraining;
pass strong laws to protect the rights, land, and health of people in mining areas;
back energy systems owned by local communities;
ensure clean energy access for everyone;
use taxes or universal basic dividends (UBD) to share the benefits of the energy transition fairly.
Energy transformation is one of the biggest challenges of our time. Private markets alone cannot deliver it quickly or fairly. The Earth4All model shows that fair, capable states, acting with urgency and care, can reduce emissions, improve access, and ensure no one is left behind.
Activity 5.4.6
Activity 5.4.6
Concept: Systems, Regeneration
Skills: Research skills (information literacy)
Time: varies depending on option
Type: Individual, pairs, or group
Option 1: Exploring energy data
Time: 30 minutes
Access the energy data explorer on the website of Our World in Data and play with the parameters to find some energy data that interests you.
Use a data interpretation strategy suggested by your teacher or your course, or the one below to understand the data and its significance.
Share your data and analysis with another student, in a small group, or with your teacher.
Data interpretation strategy (if you do not have one) - Click arrow
What is the title of the data? Clarify any questions you have about it
If a graph, what are the axis labels? Clarify any questions you have about them.
Make sure you understand the labels, colours, or other descriptive information provided.
Identify one fact from the data. Identify a second fact from the data. If the data is about countries, you might want to focus on one country, or 2-3 countries for comparison.
Is there a pattern in the data? What story does that pattern tell?
If the data has dates, is there a trend over time? What story does that trend tell?
Are there any anomalies in the data? If so, what might explain the anomaly?
What is the significance of this data, in the context of what you have studied in this section?
Option 2: Local examples of the Earth4All recommendations
Time: 40 minutes (or more depending on how the work is allocated and then shared)
Do some online research to find out:
Where does your country stand on the energy transformation? You can use the Our World in Data website to find out how it compares.
What is your country, region, or city/town doing to carry out the three broad energy recommendations of the Earth4All system model:
Improve energy efficiency
Electrify (almost) everything
Rapidly expand renewable energy
You could split up the research among students in the class and then come together to share what you learned about your local context.
Option 3: Olivia Lazard on the blind spots of the energy transition
Time: 40 minutes
Olivia Lazard is an environmental peacemaker and mediator and a fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. The video below is a talk she gave at Stockholm Impact Week 2023 on the social and ecological blindspots of the energy transition.
While or after watching, reflect on these questions:
Olivia Lazard argues that the green and digital transitions are not really “green” or “virtual.” What does she mean by this, and how does it challenge common ideas about energy transformation?
The video explains that decarbonising the economy requires large amounts of minerals. What risks does this raise for people and ecosystems, especially in countries where these minerals are found?
How does the video connect energy transformation to justice, peace, and global security? Why does Lazard believe that these issues must be part of the conversation?
What does Lazard mean by “decarbonising well,” and how does this idea support the Earth4All model’s emphasis on changing both technology and economic goals?
In this Section 5.4.6, states are described as key players in building fair, efficient, and regenerative energy systems. Based on the video, what kinds of decisions or partnerships should states prioritise to prevent ecological harm and geopolitical conflict during the green transition?
Ideas for longer activities and projects are listed in Subtopic 5.5
Checking for understanding
Checking for understanding
Coming soon!
Further exploration
Further exploration
The Fairy Tales of the Fossil Fuel Industry — and a Better Climate Story | Luisa Neubauer - A TED Talk about the end of fossil fuels from one of the early activists in the Fridays for Future movement. Difficulty level: easy-medium
World Without End - Entertaining and informative graphic novel about energy, our dependence on it and our blindness to it. In French, German and English. Difficulty level: medium
The 89 Percent Project - 80-89% of the world’s people want their governments to be doing more to address climate change. This project aims to tell their stories to help trigger social tipping points and new narratives on state action for people and the planet. Difficulty level: easy
These 8 Countries Are Scaling Up Renewable Energy the Fastest - Article from the World Resources Institute (WRI) has short case studies on Denmark, Uruguay, and Namibia to illustrate what the renewable energy transition looks like in three different contexts. Difficulty level: medium.
Our World in Data:
Energy - the site that captures all of OWD’s data and articles on energy
Energy access - Explores how access to electricity and clean cooking fuels has improved across the world, why it matters for health and poverty, and why millions of people, especially in rural and low-income areas, are still being left behind.
Energy mix - Explores the different sources of the world’s energy, how this is changing over time, and why switching from fossil fuels to cleaner sources like wind, solar, and nuclear is essential for protecting the climate and human health.
Sources
Sources
Austin, Duncan. (2024, August). Rethinking Sustainability: Insights from Systems Thinking [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/mk_ceiP7JyE
Blain, C., Jancovici, J. (2021). Welt Ohne Ende. Berlin: Reprodukt.
Daly, H., Farley, J. (2011). Ecological Economics (2nd ed.). Washington, D.C.: Island Press.
Dixson-Declève, S. et al. (2022). Earth for All: A survival guide for humanity. Club of Rome. New Society Publishers.
Hagens, N. (host). (2023, August 16). Jean-Marc Jancovici: Our Global Energy Predicament [Audio podcast episode]. In The Great Simplification. https://youtu.be/-EHCguJp9eQ.
Raworth, K. (2017). Doughnut economics: seven ways to think like a 21st century economist. London: Penguin Random House.
Ritchie, H., Rosado, P., & Roser, M. (2019). Access to energy. Our World in Data. https://ourworldindata.org/energy-access
Ritchie, H., Rosado, P., & Roser, M. (2023). Energy. Our World in Data. https://ourworldindata.org/energy
Solar Sister. (n.d.). Solar Sister. https://solarsister.org/
Terminology (in order of appearance)
Terminology (in order of appearance)
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