Climate-friendly government policies and recent investments by energy companies are accelerating the growth of renewables.

After drastic declines in driving thanks to pandemic closures, traffic and carbon emissions are making a fast recovery as we inch toward a post-COVID world. The International Energy Agency has started releasing monthly data on carbon emissions, letting researchers understand trends from month to month and monitor changes as they happen. "In its latest Global Energy Review, the IEA found that Covid-19 touched off the biggest annual drop in carbon emissions ever," writes Liam Denning for Bloomberg, "down almost two billion tonnes, or about 6%."
However, "lower demand for electricity wasn’t the biggest factor behind that. The vast majority of it was explained by increasing penetration of renewable energy, whose share of global generation recorded its biggest annual gain ever." In the U.S., federal policy is also supporting a shift to renewable energy, with the Biden administration's focus on climate poised to "reset the economics of energy and related fields to take account of the climate challenge."
Because "a systemic problem like climate change demands systemic solutions," periodic and accidental reductions in emissions caused by global crises aren't enough to move toward a more sustainable future. If recent trends continue, "the power sector’s technology-based decline in emissions" will last well beyond the pandemic as major energy companies continue to invest in renewables and clean energy infrastructure.
FULL STORY: Carbon Emissions Made a Rapid Recovery From Covid

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

Placekeeping: Setting a New Precedent for City Planners
How a preservation-based approach to redevelopment and urban design can prevent displacement and honor legacy communities.

San Francisco’s Muni Ridership Grew in 2024
The system saw its highest ridership since before the Covid-19 pandemic, but faces a severe budget shortage in the coming year.

Colorado Lawmakers Move to Protect BRT Funding
In the face of potential federal funding cuts, CDOT leaders reasserted their commitment to planned bus rapid transit projects.

Safe Streets Funding in Jeopardy
The Trump administration is specifically targeting bike infrastructure and other road safety projects in its funding cuts.
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