article thumbnail

Ask a Scientist: The US Has to Do More to Meet Its Carbon Emissions Reduction Goals

Union of Concerned Scientists

Under the 2015 Paris Agreement, the United States voluntarily pledged to reduce its global warming emissions at least 50 percent below their 2005 levels by the end of this decade and reach net-zero emissions no later than 2050. It also will save US consumers money because they will spend less on fossil fuels.

article thumbnail

Building a Better Power Grid for Minnesota

Union of Concerned Scientists

Minnesotans are facing concurrent crises of climate change, high energy prices and inflation, and the inequitable public health impacts of fossil fuel air pollution. Renewable energy will help with all of that—but we need a grid that is designed for wind and solar instead of having to rely on expensive coal and gas plants.

Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

article thumbnail

The European Energy Transition is well underway and accelerating

Edouard Stenger

First off, some facts and figures from Ember, which recently stated that both fossil fuels generation and CO2 emissions from the European electricity sector fell 19 percent last year alone. Renewables now account for 44% of the EU electricity mix and wind power is now producing more electricity than natural gas.

article thumbnail

India prepares to ramp up clean energy capacity

A Greener Life

India is looking to cut its emissions by 45% from 2005 levels by 2028. India missed its target to install 175 GW of renewable energy by 2022, and is now trying to make up for that by boosting solar, wind, nuclear, hydropower and bio-power to 500 GW by 2030. This is to be followed by bids for 10 GW in the next two quarters.

article thumbnail

The EIA Just Released a 30 Year Energy Outlook. It’s… Not Great

Union of Concerned Scientists

This is in total opposition to the US commitment under the Paris Agreement to achieve a 50-52 percent emissions reduction below 2005 levels by 2030, and net-zero by 2050. EIA is also projecting continued cost reductions and low prices for solar and wind power, such that natural gas and renewable energy are price competitive.

article thumbnail

How Much Land Would it Require to Get Most of Our Electricity from Wind and Solar?

Union of Concerned Scientists

A recent National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) study shows that it would take less than 1 percent of the land in the Lower 48—that’s an area comparable to or even smaller than the fossil fuel industry’s current footprint.

article thumbnail

Environmental Defence Calls on the Alberta Government to Drop its Ideological Opposition to Clean, Renewable Energy

Enviromental Defense

Placing restrictions on solar, wind, and geothermal power that don’t apply to climate change causing oil and gas development will put Alberta’s burgeoning renewable energy industry at risk, and cost Albertans more for their energy. In 2023, Alberta led the country in renewable energy investment.