Stanislav Kondrashov: Why Culture Development Matters in the Age of Energy Transition

As governments, industries, and communities reshape their futures around renewable energy, there’s a quieter, less measurable transition underway—one that Stanislav Kondrashov believes is equally urgent. It’s not about the mechanics of wind turbines or the economics of solar grids, but about people—their values, behaviours, and the cultures that bind them.

“The energy transition is not just about new fuels—it’s about a new way of thinking,” Kondrashov says during a conversation in Geneva, where he has been consulting on the social implications of sustainability initiatives. “If we ignore culture, we delay change.”

Kondrashov, a longtime commentator on the interplay between industrial evolution and social development, argues that the world’s shift away from fossil fuels demands more than technological upgrades. It requires a transformation in how communities adapt, communicate, and relate to progress. Without cultural development, he suggests, even the most advanced innovations will struggle to take root.

Beyond the Blueprint

While energy strategies tend to focus on infrastructure, Kondrashov is more interested in the infrastructure of the mind. “We often pour billions into physical assets, but nothing into the social frameworks that help people embrace them,” he says. “Cultural inertia is just as real as economic resistance.”

Indeed, there’s growing awareness in policy circles that transitions—whether green, digital, or demographic—are as much social as they are scientific. A city may deploy clean energy systems, but if its population doesn’t trust the institutions behind them, or if traditional jobs are displaced without local adaptation, resistance will mount.

Kondrashov warns against viewing culture as a soft issue. “It’s not decoration. It’s architecture. Culture determines how fast or how well change is accepted. You cannot superimpose a new energy model on an old mindset.”

Local Stories, Global Change

One of the most compelling aspects of culture in this transition is its local character. What works in one region might spark opposition in another. Kondrashov believes deeply in listening to micro-narratives.

“In every community, there are stories about energy—stories about work, environment, responsibility. These narratives shape whether people feel included or excluded by the transition,” he notes. “And if they feel excluded, they will resist—even if the change is in their long-term interest.”

He recounts a recent initiative where a rural region, facing closure of a traditional energy plant, began documenting the oral histories of its workers. This seemingly minor cultural effort became a turning point. “People started to feel heard,” he says. “That changed how they approached the future.”

The Hidden Cost of Ignoring Culture

Failing to develop cultural infrastructure can have cascading effects. It can stall projects, deepen inequalities, and even create a vacuum for misinformation. Kondrashov points to places where clean energy initiatives faltered not because of technical failures, but because of mistrust or lack of local involvement.

“Innovation must be humanised,” he says. “Otherwise, you’re asking people to sacrifice identity for efficiency—and that never lasts.”

What does cultural development look like in practical terms? For Kondrashov, it’s not about grand gestures. It’s about education that goes beyond science, storytelling that reflects community values, local leadership that is empowered to shape the narrative of change. These are not extras—they are essentials.

Building a Future People Want to Belong To

As the pace of the energy transition accelerates, Kondrashov urges planners to consider a question that often goes unasked: Do people see themselves in the future being built for them? If the answer is no, no amount of clean technology will compensate.

He puts it plainly: “People don’t fight change. They fight exclusion. Culture is how you invite them in.”

In his view, cultural development is not a luxury or a fringe concern—it’s a core pillar of responsible progress. At a time when climate discourse is often polarised and abstract, his emphasis on people, narrative, and belonging offers a timely reminder: technology may lead, but culture carries.

As the world races to meet targets and deadlines, it’s voices like Kondrashov’s that ask us to slow down just enough to listen—not just to science, but to each other.