The article "Demand-side strategies key for mitigating material impacts of energy transitions" by Creutzig et al. (2024) highlights the importance of demand-side solutions in mitigating the environmental and social impacts associated with the transition to a low-carbon economy. As fossil fuels are phased out in favor of renewable energy, electric cars, and other low-carbon technologies, the overall mining required for these new systems is expected to be less than the current fossil-fueled system. However, the extraction and waste flows, infrastructure development, land-use changes, and the provision of new goods and services associated with decarbonization will still produce significant social and environmental pressures. The authors argue that demand-side strategies, such as reducing energy consumption, promoting resource efficiency, and circular economy practices, can significantly reduce both the scale of the climate challenge and the material resource requirements. These strategies can achieve outcomes such as lowering material intensity in goods and services, extending product lifetimes, and increasing recycling rates. The article also discusses the trade-offs and challenges of demand-side strategies, including the need for responsible and advanced mining practices, the environmental and social impacts of recycling, and the importance of addressing justice and equity issues. The authors emphasize the need for interdisciplinary systems modeling and analysis to identify opportunities and trade-offs for demand-led mitigation strategies, explicitly considering planetary boundaries associated with Earth's material resources. They conclude that demand-side strategies are crucial for managing the material and societal burdens of the energy transition and for ensuring a sustainable future.The article "Demand-side strategies key for mitigating material impacts of energy transitions" by Creutzig et al. (2024) highlights the importance of demand-side solutions in mitigating the environmental and social impacts associated with the transition to a low-carbon economy. As fossil fuels are phased out in favor of renewable energy, electric cars, and other low-carbon technologies, the overall mining required for these new systems is expected to be less than the current fossil-fueled system. However, the extraction and waste flows, infrastructure development, land-use changes, and the provision of new goods and services associated with decarbonization will still produce significant social and environmental pressures. The authors argue that demand-side strategies, such as reducing energy consumption, promoting resource efficiency, and circular economy practices, can significantly reduce both the scale of the climate challenge and the material resource requirements. These strategies can achieve outcomes such as lowering material intensity in goods and services, extending product lifetimes, and increasing recycling rates. The article also discusses the trade-offs and challenges of demand-side strategies, including the need for responsible and advanced mining practices, the environmental and social impacts of recycling, and the importance of addressing justice and equity issues. The authors emphasize the need for interdisciplinary systems modeling and analysis to identify opportunities and trade-offs for demand-led mitigation strategies, explicitly considering planetary boundaries associated with Earth's material resources. They conclude that demand-side strategies are crucial for managing the material and societal burdens of the energy transition and for ensuring a sustainable future.