ACCORDING to a new report published about a week ago, the energy transition that, according to the lunatic fringe, is not happening or won't happen is already well underway. I received a copy of the report last Friday, April 21, when it was still figuratively warm from the presses, and going through it took up a considerable part of my weekend.

Extra care in processing this large (163 pages) piece of information was required because, from my point of view, the general conclusion of the report — that the transition away from fossil-fuel energy is underway and has reached the tipping point where existing fossil-fuel generation will henceforth steadily decline — was exactly what I wanted to hear. Unlike certain commentators who practice confirmation bias like a religion — that's a red flag as far as I'm concerned — anything that matches one's wishes or assumptions should be subjected to as much, and probably more, skepticism than something contrary to them.