Jean-Baptiste Fressoz, a prominent historian of science, technology and the environment, tells us in his book More and More and More: An All-Consuming History of Energy exposes a fundamental misconception that has shaped our understanding of energy transitions for years. Instead of the traditional narrative of one energy source gradually replacing another – from wood to coal to oil to nuclear – Fressoz argues that it is actually a constant increase in energy consumption, where new sources are simply piled on top of old ones.

Accumulation instead of transition

According to Fressoz, there has never been a “transition” from one energy source to another. For example, the era of coal, which was supposed to replace wood, actually led to increased wood consumption – to support coal mining, railway construction and other industrial activities. Similarly, the transition to oil did not bring about the complete disappearance of coal or wood use, but rather supplemented the existing energy mix. In this way, a picture emerges where new technologies and energy sources are not separated from the old ones, but “built on” them, thus constantly increasing overall energy consumption.

Implications for the fight against climate change

Fressoz's arguments have fundamental implications for our efforts to mitigate climate change. If there is no clear transition from fossil fuels to clean energy sources, as has long been advocated, then strategies based solely on the development of renewables will not be sufficient. Our society must face the fact that, despite the growth of solar and wind energy, overall fossil fuel consumption may continue to grow, complicating efforts to reduce emissions.

A call to rethink our ideas

Fressoz calls on us to free ourselves from the illusion of an energy transition, which was initially promoted not only by environmental activists but also by energy companies themselves. These companies often use the concept of a transition to “green energy” as an excuse to postpone radical measures, while the real reality is much more complicated. Our historical experience shows that instead of a pure replacement of one resource by another, there is a symbiotic relationship, where each new technology only increases the total consumption of energy.

Jean-Baptiste Fressoz with his work More and More and More offers an important and provocative look at our energy history. His analysis forces us to realize that combating climate change requires much more than just a technological transition—it also requires fundamental changes in our consumption model, economic paradigm, and approach to the use of natural resources. For anyone interested in issues of sustainability, energy policy, and climate change, this book is essential reading, offering profound and often uncomfortable insights into where our civilization is leading us.

Jean-Baptiste Fressoz thus opens the door to rethinking our ideas about the future – a future where the solution is not just a transition to "green" sources, but also a fundamental reduction in our overall consumption and the transformation of our economic models. Spring