Document summary
Energy transitions are lengthy but can be accelerated by material changes in economics, public sentiment, security and regulatory responses to human health, safety and the environment. The dual impact of the 2011 oil price shock, reflecting both long-term supply/demand trends and security issues in the Middle East/North Africa, and the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster in Japan, succeeding years of climate change and carbon emissions discussions, plus the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill are likely to make 2011 a key inflection point in the global energy mix and catalysts for a transition towards cleaner, sustainable and more secure energy sources.