The human race, and the race to zero

Reducing carbon emissions is an important and necessary aim—but it should not allow us to ignore the energy needs of the billions of underprivileged people around the world

The start of the year is a time for reflection and to look ahead. This year, already a uniquely challenging one, is no exception. The brutal shock of Covid-19 and the global health emergency has left deep scars in societies and has had very uneven impacts on communities, industries and economies across the world. Our industry, energy, is no exception. The resilience of electricity systems has been tested and the impact on other sectors and forms of energy—heat and liquid fuels—have exposed new vulnerabilities. In many countries, the gap between those that have access to clean, affordable, reliable energy and those that do not has widened.   Access to modern energy is easily taken for granted