As global efforts to transition to sustainable technologies ramp up, the debate over whether governments or markets should drive this change continues to intensify. While governments around the world rely on mandates and subsidies to push new technologies like electric vehicles (EVs), history shows that market forces may be the more effective driver of lasting change. One of the most telling examples is Canada’s failed attempt to mandate solar energy adoption in the late 1970s. This costly experiment offers valuable lessons, especially as we grapple with similar challenges today in the adoption of green technologies.
