Earth Day Special | Why 2021 is a Crucial Year in the Fight Against Climate Change
- reducereuseupcycle
- Apr 22, 2021
- 3 min read
Wouldn’t it be nice if we had only one global crisis at a time to deal with? ... Unfortunately, as the pandemic continues to disrupt just about every aspect of our existence, the climate crisis is getting worse. The consensus of the global scientific community is clear: time is running out. Our world is already suffering from the devastating effects of climate change and the limited time for countries to act, if we are to avoid the most catastrophic consequences, is dwindling further.
It's getting hot in here. NASA reports that 2020 tied 2016 for the hottest year in recorded history (and a record $22 billion was spent on weather and climate related disasters). In fact, all 10 of the hottest years in NASA's records have occurred since 2005, and the top seven have occurred since 2014. Holy s%*!.
A new administration. So far, it seems that President Biden and his team of climate experts are taking climate change seriously, and are keen to act. Upon taking office, he has signed numerous climate-related executive orders and reinstated many of the climate regulations that had been dismantled by the previous administration. Earlier today, the president pledged to cut U.S. greenhouse gas emissions at least in half by 2030, more than doubling the country’s prior commitment under the 2015 Paris climate agreement.
Renewables are cheap. This fall, solar energy became the cheapest source of electricity in history. The International Energy Agency reported that almost 90% of new electricity generation last year was renewable and that we’re on track for renewables to be the world’s largest source of power by 2025, reaching a majority by 2050. If investors follow the money and governments help to accelerate the energy transition globally, renewables will continue to become even cheaper and more competitive everywhere.
COVID changes all. The pandemic has caused the most significant economic shock since the Great Depression. In response, governments are stepping forward with stimulus packages designed to reboot their economies. With interest rates hovering around zero, this creates an unprecedented opportunity to funnel money into clean energy. The E.U. and U.S. have promised trillions of dollars of green investments to get their economies back on track and kick-start the process of phasing out carbon. If other countries join them, this will drive down the cost of renewables globally. They also plan to impose a tax on imports from countries that emit too much carbon, the idea being that this may help induce carbon-cutting laggards to act.
The next big climate conference. In November 2021, world leaders will be gathering in Glasgow for the successor to the landmark Paris conference in 2015. Under the terms of the Paris deal, countries promised to come back every five years and raise their carbon-cutting ambitions (because of the pandemic, it was postponed a year). Because combatting climate change requires collaboration amongst all governments and leaders, it is wonderful news for the world that, under President Biden, the U.S. officially rejoined the Paris Agreement on February 19. The bad news, however, is that the world is way off track of meeting the commitments set to limit global temperature increases and cut carbon emissions. The meeting in Glasgow is the world’s best chance since Paris in 2015 to make tangible progress on cutting emissions and ensuring a fair and just transition to a green, net-zero economy.
This planet belongs to all of us, and if we care about our loved ones, our friends, and our communities, then we have a rare opportunity right now to come together and make a difference. Let's make sure our planet and all its people stay healthy. It starts with you.
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