From a distance, the global energy transition seems clear. Solar panels cost a fraction of what they did 10 years ago. Electric vehicles are no longer a niche market. Governments, corporations, and financial institutions have pledged, on paper, to reduce emissions and achieve net-zero targets. However, up close, the transition appears much less consistent. 

What is often referred to as a single global shift is better understood as a series of changes occurring at different speeds, in various locations, and for different reasons. The electricity sector shows the most obvious progress. In many countries, new power generation now mainly comes from solar and wind, not because of a sudden agreement on climate policy but because these technologies have become financially viable. In some markets, they are simply the most affordable choice. 

Electricity, however, makes up only part of how energy is used. The bigger challenge is replacing fossil fuels wherever they are used, such as in vehicles, heating systems, factories, and industrial equipment. This is where electrification becomes key. Electric cars, heat pumps, and electrically powered industrial processes are becoming more common, especially in wealthier countries. The reasoning is practical rather than ideological: electricity can be decarbonised more easily than fuels, and once it is, it can be used in a broader range of activities. 

Several pressures have converged to accelerate this shift. Falling technology costs have reshaped investment decisions. Energy security has become a higher priority on political agendas, especially after supply disruptions exposed the vulnerability of fossil fuel markets. Policy has also played a role, though often inconsistently. Climate targets and incentives have provided direction, even where implementation has lagged behind ambition. 

Progress slows in sectors where solutions are already well-established. Heavy industry, aviation, shipping, and long-distance freight still rely heavily on fossil fuels. Low-carbon alternatives exist, but many are expensive, in limited supply, or unproven at scale. Consequently, emissions in these sectors have declined slowly, if at all. 

Geography is as important as technology. In many developing economies, energy demand continues to grow as populations expand and living standards rise. For governments under immediate development pressure, affordability and reliability are often top priorities. Clean energy can address these needs, but only when financing, infrastructure, and policy support are in place—conditions that remain inconsistent. 

Even in countries advancing relatively quickly, infrastructure remains a constraint. Power grids constructed decades ago were not designed to handle large volumes of variable renewable energy. Solar and wind projects are often ready long before the transmission lines required to connect them. Permitting delays, grid congestion, and local opposition increasingly determine what gets built and where. 

The materials needed for the transition bring additional trade-offs. Batteries, turbines, and electric vehicles rely on minerals like lithium, cobalt, and nickel. Extracting and processing these minerals has environmental impacts and centralises supply chains in a few countries, raising concerns that new dependencies could replace old ones. 

For individuals and communities, the transition is felt less through national targets and more through practical effects, such as job prospects, energy bills, and local investment. Clean energy creates jobs, but not always in areas where fossil fuel industries are shrinking. Without careful planning, some communities may face economic disruption even as overall emissions decrease. 

None of this indicates that the energy transition is failing. It suggests that it is slower, more uneven, and more restricted than broad commitments suggest. 

The direction is clear. The outcome is uncertain. Whether the coming decade results in a more sustainable energy system will depend less on new pledges than on the quieter work of building infrastructure, resolving trade-offs, and managing changes that are experienced locally, not in theory.