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Bad news first: CO2 emissions increased by 1.4% globally. I hear a glacier cracking in the distance. But wait. Turns out the United States did something good this time. We decreased emissions.
“The biggest decline came from the United States, where emissions dropped by 0.5%,” according to the International Energy Agencies Global Energy and CO2 Status Report. “Last year the drop was the result of higher renewables-based electricity generation and a decline in electricity demand. The share of renewables in electricity generation reached a record level of 17%.”
Good job America! I needed some good news today.
That’s Not All
“In the United States, 10 GW of solar PV was added in 2017, down 30% relative to 2016 but still the second highest year on record,” the report goes on.
I don’t even know what to say. Second highest year on record for solar power added seems like a good enough reason to celebrate. Friday, baby. Bottoms up.
Our Best
Such good stuff from a Tweet that said, “Global energy-related CO2 emissions grew by 1.4% in 2017, reaching a historic high of 32.5 gigatonnes.” Yikes!
That sounded like a buzzkill on this pleasant Friday afternoon, but I couldn't help but click on it anyway. Bad news gets clicks. I get that. I started this post with the negative too because I don’t want to sound like a blind optimist who doesn’t see bad stuff like increasing emissions and climate change. The fact that Kim Kardashian is considered a lifestyle influencer makes me worry about our future on this planet more than rising emissions. Like, a lot. But I believe we are all doing our best. Even the Kardashians.
If we're doing our best today we can do even better tomorrow. So I'll end by saying that good stuff is happening. At least that’s what I keep telling myself.
“Renewables now account for 25% of global electricity generation,” according to the report.
