REASONS FOR HOPE

As we write this, the election has not happened, and we are working for a positive outcome with hope and determination. But whatever the outcome, beacons of light shine out in the twilight, giving us reasons for hope. There are more than you think!

  1. The growth of clean energy is unstoppable. According to the International Energy Agency’s World Energy Outlook report, solar power is expected to quadruple by 2030, EV adoption is on the rise, and battery storage continues to grow. Offshore wind is also taking off. Thanks to these global shifts, the IEA estimates that carbon dioxide emissions will peak next year, and solar will become the world’s biggest source of electricity by 2033!
  2. Chief polluters are being held accountable for exacerbating the climate crisis. Between Attorney General Bonta suing ExxonMobil in CaliforniaChevron’s huge payout to the city of Richmond, and the introduction of “climate superfund” bills at the state and federal levels, we’re seeing major momentum around efforts to make polluters pay.
  3. Countless species are getting a new lease on life. Chinook salmon have reappeared in the Klamath River for the first time in over a century, the sihek are once again flying free in the wild, and the Fish and Wildlife Service is implementing recovery efforts for key endangered species groups thanks to new funding!
  4. There are currently 8 countries that are 100% clean energy-powered—and 20 that are over the 90% threshold. Large and small, developed and developing, these countries are proving that renewables are reliable, cost-effective, and worth investing in.
  5. Strong regulations and enforcement are slowing the rate of deforestation. Deforestation in the Amazon is the lowest it’s been in almost a decade. While we are currently off track to bring a stop to global deforestation by 2030, the European Union’s Deforestation Regulation will lend a helping hand when it goes into effect at the end of the year.
  6. We are starting to listen to and learn from Indigenous peoples. As the original stewards of the land, Indigenous peoples have long known what the planet needs and how best to coexist with our natural environment. From the widespread adoption of prescribed burns to the establishment of the nation’s first Indigenous-led marine sanctuary, decades of advocacy efforts are starting to pay off, and traditional practices are taking center stage.

If you’re looking for more climate positivity, there’s plenty more where this came from:

We’re doing what we can, so hang in there. And remember: no matter the outcome, we have reasons for hope!