This paper provides a retrospective analysis to apprehend the challenges entailed by a future energy transition aiming to achieve carbon neutrality. This low-carbon transition will not boil down to a new Industrial Revolution and the lessons learned from past events will not necessarily be usable as they stand. Namely, we draw attention to the spontaneous nature of past energy transitions. Unlike past transitions, the low-carbon energy transition will not happen spontaneously and will require active coordination between all actors at global, national and local levels, coupled with controls to effectively target a carbon neutrality goal. The role of governments will be crucial to steer this process.