The future of our planet is hanging in the balance. Climate change is increasingly harming our land, our seas, and our livelihoods. 2024 has been a year of trepidation, as we faced record-high global temperatures, copious extreme weather events and the election of climate change deniers into office. As the urgency of the situation is ever escalating, it is challenging to remain hopeful about the future.
However, all is not lost in the fight against climate change. Several developments in technology and policy in the past year have laid the foundations for a better future. By focusing on these achievements, I hope to encourage some optimism for the fate of our planet.
Renewable Energy
Many countries have been making great progress in the transition from fossil fuels to renewable sources of energy. Hydroelectric power is leading the way globally, with wind and solar power usage increasing as well. Ember, a global energy think tank, reported that fossil fuels only contributed 23 percent of the European Union’s electricity in April 2024, making it the lowest month on record. In comparison, 34 percent of EU electricity is now generated by solar and wind power. This transition to renewable energy is a huge success for reducing carbon emissions and their impact on the environment.
A new discovery was made earlier this year in Varazdin, Croatia, that could greatly boost the use of renewable energy. The energy company Bukotermal discovered an extraordinary underwater geothermal lake with temperatures reaching over 140℃. Heat from the water can be transformed into geothermal energy, which generates no carbon emissions. It was estimated that this could provide clean energy to tens of thousands of homes in the region.
Zero Emission Vehicles
The United Kingdom has also taken a step in the right direction to reduce their carbon emissions. At the start of 2024, a zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) mandate was introduced. ZEVs are defined as vehicles which do not directly emit any exhaust gases or pollutants – they are fully powered by electricity. The mandate stated that 100 percent of car sales must be ZEVs by 2035, with annual targets to gradually increase sales. Over £2 billion has already been invested by the UK government to expand and incentivise the ZEV industry.
Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)
In addition to reducing future carbon emissions, technology has been advancing in the field of carbon sequestration, which refers to the capture and storage of carbon compounds from the environment. This has the potential to reduce the warming of the planet as a result of atmospheric carbon dioxide, known as the greenhouse effect.
As of October 2024, there are 628 carbon capture and storage projects globally. This marks a 60 percent increase in the past year. Currently operational facilities have a capacity of 51 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. Whilst a great deal more carbon dioxide needs to be stored to sufficiently reduce global warming, the increase in facilities in the past year is a promising sign of progress.
Regenerative Agriculture
Another new initiative which has increased in popularity this year is regenerative agriculture. This refers to practices that manage farms and pastures as living ecosystems by supporting biodiversity and nutrient cycling. Practices include alternative irrigation, crop rotation, reduced mechanical disturbance and livestock integration. It has been shown to have many environmental benefits, such as carbon sequestration in the soil, efficient use of resources, and minimal carbon emissions.
A regenerative agriculture initiative, the One Plant Business for Biodiversity Coalition, had a record year. As of September 2024, 300,000 farmers are involved in projects globally, and they are on track to have 12.5 million hectares of regenerative agriculture land by 2030. Initiatives such as this one are crucial in the transition to successful sustainable living.
Whilst there is still a long way to go in combating climate change, the impact of these initiatives, however small, is invaluable. It is important to recognise that we have long passed the best time to act on climate change, so the most we can do is act now. I hope that this progress continues into the following years and inspires greater change.