Overcoming the obstacles to this historic global energy transition is more than technological. More than any other time in history, the energy industry operates in an increasingly challenging regulatory, political, and public environment. If this energy transition is to succeed, IEEE PES member engineers and energy professionals from across the industry and around the world will need to understand what these forces are and how to best overcome them. Two of the nation’s leading policy and communications experts will discuss these challenges, and what the industry and IEEE PES must know and do to successfully lead this energy transition.