To counter attacks on net zero, challenges including the need for grid upgrades will have to be grasped
With net zero policies under attack from elected far-right populists as well as autocratic petrostates, and another summer of record-breaking temperatures in Europe, the failure to decarbonise the world’s power supply is as gravely concerning as ever. But the UN secretary general, António Guterres, struck an optimistic note in a recent speech in New York. The world, he said, “is on the cusp of a new era … The sun is rising on a clean energy age.” Pointing to falls in the cost of onshore wind and solar, and the risk of further gas-price shocks in future, he called on big technology companies – whose datacentres are one reason for soaring energy use – to adopt a target of 100% low-carbon electricity by 2030.
Given US president Donald Trump’s personal hostility to renewable energy, Mr Guterres may be right that it makes more sense to demand action from US businesses at this point. In Scotland earlier this week, Mr Trump launched his latest misleading tirade, urging European leaders to “stop the windmills”.
Search
Recent Research
Want your Blog Article featured on our website?
Research
Featured News
Edward McNabb, pioneer of conservation bioacoustics died on May 7, aged 81
Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and
World’s first industry-wide climate mandate could be launched with shipping vote
This is Part 1 in a short series on efforts to decarbonize the global shipping
Queensland land clearing figures show state remains ‘deforestation capital of Australia’, conservationists say
Overall clearing was up 3%, with almost half in Great Barrier Reef catchment areas while
Strategies against deforestation across the Amazon Basin
The command-and-control approach to reducing or eliminating environmental wrongdoing depends on both carrots and sticks.
UN holds emergency talks over sky-high accommodation costs at Cop30 in Brazil
Concerns poorer countries could be priced out of negotiations in Belém as room rates soar
Countries failing to act on UN climate pledge to triple renewables, thinktank finds
Fossil fuel reliance likely to continue and Cop28 target of limiting global heating to below
Trump bids to scrap almost all pollution regulations – can anything stop this?
EPA tries to rescind ‘endangerment finding’ – part of ‘drill, baby, drill’ agenda that experts
Ethiopia’s national tree campaign underway with aim to plant 700 million seedlings in one day
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) — Ethiopia has launched a national campaign to plant 700 million