One of the issues that has attracted considerable hostility from fringe parties in Europe in recent months is the energy transition. While that transition is clearly crucial for long-term sustainability and climate goals, there is much disagreement about the policies that are being enacted to achieve those goals. It could certainly be no coincidence that as the climate has been warming, the real consumer price of energy has been rising (see chart below). That could reflect a number of demand and supply-related factors, including investment in new infrastructure, regulatory changes that have increased the price of fossil fuels, along with geopolitical factors and energy security measures. But either way, it nevertheless highlights the challenges politicians face in transitioning their countries away from fossil fuels while maintaining economic and political stability.