Energy in the 21st century: An unresolved issue

It is examined the concept, use, and evolution of energy in the context of the so-called "energy transition" showing that far from being an orderly transition toward clean sources, the world remains trapped in an energy system based on fossil fuels. Energy, understood from its Aristotelian definition, has become the central axis of modern geopolitical conflicts, structural inequalities and crises. The objective is to question the dominant narrative of the energy transition idea as an ordered process, by analyzing the persistence and growth of fossil fuel global use in the 21st century. The approach is essay-based, referring solid statistical data sources (United Nations Statistics Division, Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, International Energy Agency) and a critical review of international documents, energy policies, and recent geopolitical events. It is concluded that global energy consumption has reached historical growth record levels, trend which accelerated from 1990 to 2022, while the so-called "age of oil" continues. So, the global energy transition remains an unrealized project. The promises of strategies such as the Paris Agreement or the 2030 Agenda fail to translate into effective action, while a double standard persists in developed countries and Latinoamerica stands under external and internal pressures; the energy transition became an energy chaos, a reinforced fossil fuel model, provoking environmental devastation, energy militarism, a lack of global political agreement to end the age of oil. The author calls for authentic human responsibility to consider long-term, sustainable, and fair solutions, from a critical multidimensional perspective on the contemporary energy crisis.