Past energy policies are largely to blame for climate change, and now, more than ever, the security implications demand a transformation of energy systems and infrastructure. In this commentary, R. Andreas Kraemer, Director of Ecologic, argues that such a transformation would be possible both technically and economically, but that it requires political will and coordinated action and would need to be accompanied by reform of international institutions.

Transformation should aim to reduce energy wastage and enhance resilience of energy systems through diversification, distribution of infrastructure, increased flexibility of supply and demand, and higher levels of redundancy.

This commentary is based on a series of Strategy Seminars, that took place from January to April 2008 in the context of the project "What Price Energy Transformation".