Energy security cannot be the forgotten pillar of the energy transition

FOR years, the global energy conversation has been dominated by one phrase: energy transition.

The goal is clear and necessary. Climate change is real, and the world must continue investing in lower-carbon energy solutions. But as I travel across Africa, Latin America and South-east Asia, I am often reminded that the conversation looks very different depending on where you stand.

In many developed economies, the focus is on how quickly societies can decarbonise. But in many developing economies, the more immediate concern is whether households, schools, hospitals and businesses have access to reliable and affordable energy in the first place.