Any time I tell people the world is getting better, the same comeback always lands: “Yeah, but climate change.”
Fair enough. Climate change is real, and 2024 was brutal - the hottest year on record, with global temperatures hitting 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. Ice is melting, disasters are costing trillions, and politics (especially in the U.S.) often feels like it’s moving backward.
But here’s the truth: the fight isn’t over - and we’re not losing it.
The sun over the Atlantic Ocean. Photograph: NASA
In fact, beneath the headlines, there’s real momentum. Here are five signs that the climate future isn't doomed:
1. The Worst-Case Scenario Is Less Likely
The UN’s scariest projections once predicted up to 5°C of warming - a nightmare scenario. But global carbon emissions are slowing. If current policies continue, we’re more likely heading for 2.5–3°C. Still dangerous, but far less catastrophic. And new research suggests the climate system might be more resilient than we thought.
2. Wind and Solar Just Beat Coal in the U.S.
In 2024, for the first time ever, wind and solar generated more electricity than coal in the U.S. Coal is still dirty and harmful, but it’s steadily losing ground. Renewables now power nearly a quarter of U.S. electricity, with solar leading the charge. Progress is speeding up, not slowing down.
3. Batteries Are Solving the Renewable Problem
Wind and solar are great as energy sources - but only when the wind blows or the sun shines. That’s where grid-scale batteries come in. Battery storage in the U.S. has grown fivefold since 2021 and is set for another record increase in 2025.
4. Green Growth Is Happening
The economy doesn’t have to grow at the planet’s expense. In 2024, U.S. emissions fell by 0.2 percent even as the economy grew nearly 3%. Clean energy and vehicle sectors added almost 150,000 jobs - growing faster than the overall economy for the fifth straight year.
5. Innovation Is Just Getting Started
While Washington argues, innovators are building solutions. Take Mati Carbon — winner of the $50M XPrize - which captures CO₂ using crushed rocks spread on farmland. It’s carbon removal and better soil. That’s the kind of win-win we’ll need more of.
So, the climate crisis is serious. But we’re not powerless. Every year, we get better at fighting it - cleaner energy, smarter tech, more jobs, less pollution. Progress is real. Now we just have to speed it up.
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This post has been shared on Reddit by @x-rain, @stekene through the HivePosh initiative.
Lets hope its getting better.