Global Energy Transition

This chapter examines the relationship between sustainable development and the global energy transition in various political and economic settings worldwide. The transition to renewable energy is changing development paradigms beyond conventional growth metrics, as demonstrated by how market forces, policy frameworks, technological innovation and geopolitical considerations interact. This chapter shows that multilateral cooperation, fair cost and benefit sharing and implementation strategies can bridge the North-South divide and lead to successful energy transitions. The chapter synthesises the literature, provides a theoretical framework and distils five broad areas that need to be considered when strategising for energy transition: climate justice, inclusive governance, developmental diversity, incumbent power structures and climate finance. It examines empirical evidence from different regions to show that strategies must strike a balance between climate goals and development needs to achieve energy transition.