There’s no getting around it. The world is consuming more energy than ever, notwithstanding a temporary slump in demand during the pandemic.

Of course, human activity requires energy. We depend on huge quantities of it to produce food, construct buildings, produce electricity, manufacture things, transport goods and people, and so on.

Canada and other relatively advanced economies owe their high standard of living to the ability to harness energy. Emerging and developing economies, where 85% of the world’s population lives, are following a similar path. As the global population climbs, so too will the demand for energy. The question is what types of energy will be produced and for what purposes, in a world where fossil fuels currently provide four-fifths of all energy.

Electricity accounts for about one-fifth of total global energy consumption. For many analysts and policymakers,........

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