Canada and other developed countries have committed to achieving “net-zero” carbon emissions by 2050. Yet here at the midway point between the 1997 Kyoto Protocol… and the looming deadline of 2050, there is good reason to doubt the feasibility of this ambitious transition. Our new study demonstrates how the world’s dependence on fossil fuels has in fact steadily increased over the past three decades — this despite international agreements, significant government spending and regulation and some technological progress pushing in the opposite direction. …Viewed through a historical lens, this sluggish pace of change is not surprising. …Advocates for today’s mandated energy transition often overlook the complexity of energy transitions and their many challenges. …The energy transition also imposes unprecedented demands for minerals. …Transitioning to a net-zero also requires a massive overhaul of existing energy infrastructure. …A final problem is that achieving decarbonization by 2050 hinges on extensive and sustained global cooperation.