Renewable Energy Programs and Policies Under Scrutiny

Strategic Insights -

Countries across the globe are grappling with the consequences of disrupting global events on renewable energy policies. According to a new study published in Sustainable Earth Reviews, Australia and selected countries face dilemmas in their shift towards sustainable energy policies due to the resurgence in demand for fossil fuels, funding challenges, and the impact of events like wars, pandemics, and extreme weather. The study explores the trajectory of Australia's energy market and its progress compared to a range of countries, highlighting the tension between renewable and non-renewable energy sources.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study found that the resurgence in demand for fossil fuels, such as coal and gas, has distracted energy policy makers from focusing on renewable energy programs and policies.
  • The energy market tensions for fossil fuels have impacted the supply of renewable energy, hindering progress towards a just transition to a low-carbon economy.
  • Australia's renewable energy focus is in contrast to non-renewable energy, and the study chose selected countries as comparators to demonstrate how governments navigate fiscal/economic, political, and environmental tensions.
  • The study used a qualitative and metric-based approach to evaluate the trajectory of Australia and other countries, ranking them based on their energy justice metric.
  • The results were plotted on a ternary phase diagram, highlighting the complexities of energy policy and the challenges of achieving a just transition to a low-carbon economy.
  • The study found that energy justice principles can enable resilience in policy decisions and countries can continue to move towards a just transition to a low-carbon economy despite disruptor issues.
  • The study concluded that achieving the 2015 Paris Agreement emission targets remains elusive, but a justice-framed energy policy transition is the first step for many fossil fuel-intense nations.
  • The study's findings suggest that a justice-framed energy policy transition can be achieved through a qualitative and quantitative analysis of data using the energy justice metric.
  • These findings highlight the importance of considering the energy justice framework in evaluating energy policies and their impact on the environment and society.

Statistics:

  • 2015 Paris Agreement emission targets remain elusive for many countries.
  • The study found that the resurgence in demand for fossil fuels has distracted energy policy makers from focusing on renewable energy programs and policies.
  • 8 countries were selected as comparators, including France, Trinidad-Tobago, Guyana, French Guiana, Iran, Malaysia, Kenya, and Uganda.
  • Australia is a fossil fuel-rich country, which created an interesting case study for the research.
  • The study used a qualitative and metric-based approach to evaluate the trajectory of Australia and other countries.
  • The results were plotted on a ternary phase diagram, showing the complexities of energy policy and the challenges of achieving a just transition to a low-carbon economy.
  • The study found that energy justice principles can enable resilience in policy decisions and countries can continue to move towards a just transition to a low-carbon economy despite disruptor issues.

Sources:

  • Energy policy distractions to renewable programs: a comparative assessment. Sustainable Earth Reviews, 2025,8(1):1-16. (BMC)
  • doi-org.sdpl.idm.oclc.org/10.1186/s42055-025-00110-4 (free version available at this link)
  • NewsRx. Study Results from Monash University Update Understanding of Renewable Energy (Energy policy distractions to renewable programs: a comparative assessment). Medical Letter on the CDC & FDA. September 7, 2025; p 608.
  • Monash University, Monash Business School
  • Diane Kraal, Raphael J. Heffron, Mohammad Hazrati, Halima Hussein, Alicia Phillips