Climate Change
🌎 Study: Economic growth without increased emissions now a reality in most countries
Countries representing 92 percent of the global economy have now decoupled consumption-based carbon emissions from GDP growth. China's emissions have plateaued over the past 18 months and may have peaked.
📉 Global carbon dioxide emissions may be close to reaching their peak
Data on greenhouse gas emissions shows a decline during the first months of last year compared to the same period the year before. Solar power and electric vehicles are growing rapidly in several major economies, reducing dependence on fossil fuels.
🛫 Airplane contrails warm the climate less than scientists thought
New research shows that contrails from airplanes cause warming equivalent to two-thirds of the carbon dioxide emissions from jet fuel, not three times as much as previous studies indicated. Airlines are now conducting trials to avoid creating climate-affecting contrails.
📉 China's carbon dioxide emissions lower than 18 months ago
China's carbon dioxide emissions have been flat or declining since March 2024. Solar power increased by 46% and wind power by 11% in the third quarter, covering nearly all the increase in electricity demand. Emissions from the transport sector fell by 5% due to the rapid spread of electric vehicles.
☀️ Renewable energy surpasses coal in the global electricity mix - for the first time ever
Renewable energy overtook coal in the global electricity mix for the first time in history during the first half of 2025.
🔋 European car manufacturers on track to meet EU emission targets
European car manufacturers sold 38 percent more electric cars during the first seven months of the year.
💡 Musings of the Angry Optimist: Without China, emissions would already have peaked
Are we close to the first major milestone for the climate?
📉 China's CO2 emissions continue to decline – the peak may already have been passed
China's carbon dioxide emissions fell by one percent during the first half of 2025 and continue the downward trend that began in March 2024. The declining trend opens the possibility that China's emissions may already have reached their peak, years before the "before 2030" target.
💊 Scientists use bacteria to turn plastic waste into paracetamol
Researchers have discovered that bacteria can convert plastic waste into paracetamol using genetically modified E. coli. The process works with material from plastic bottles and can produce paracetamol with up to 92 percent yield in under 24 hours.