Three pieces of good news on climate change in 2024

Global greenhouse gas emissions hit new high 37.4 billion tons 2024. 1.54°C (2.77°F) higher than pre-industrial levels. Global climate talks are at an impasse as climate change makes disasters from wildfires to hurricanes more severe.

But amid all this (very real) negative news, there’s also some good news: We’re seeing progress in reducing the most polluting fossil fuels, cheaper and better technologies to combat climate change, and a global effort to tackle the problem. Keep up the good work. As 2024 comes to a close, let’s take a moment to look back at some of the highlights.

We’re kicking coal to the curb

One of my favorite climate moments this year happened in the UK. The country has historically relied heavily on coal as a source of electricity – as of 1990, coal met about 65% of its electricity needs. But on September 30, 2024, Nation’s last coal-fired power plant closes.

Renewable energy is stepping in to fill this gap. UK wind farms have on track This year it will generate more electricity than coal and natural gas power plants combined.

It’s a symbolic moment that reflects the real progress being made around the world in moving away from these polluting fossil fuels. Forty years ago, about 50% of the U.S. electricity supply was coal. In 2023, this share will be about 16%.

We should see coal use level off and possibly start to decline by the end of the century, According to data from the International Energy Agency. However, progress needs to be faster, and it needs to happen in countries like China with growing energy needs. There are also growing concerns about the increasing energy demands of data centers, including those used to power artificial intelligence, will Efforts to close old coal plants mean.

Batteries are getting cheaper

It is predicted that lithium-ion battery packs will be cheaper than ever by 2024, with prices dropping 20% ​​this year to $115 per kWh Data comes from Bloomberg New Energy Finance. This is the largest decline since 2017.

Batteries are a core technology in combating climate change. They power the electric vehicles we rely on, help clean up the transportation sector, and play an increasingly important role in the grid because they can store energy from erratically available renewable energy sources like wind and solar.