Record-breaking solar, wind and battery shipments cut CO₂ by 1.2 gigatonnes in 2025 alone.
A new analysis reveals that China’s surge in clean technology exports—solar panels, wind turbines and electric-vehicle batteries—prevented the equivalent of 1.2 gigatonnes of CO₂ emissions globally last year. The report attributes the drop to displaced fossil-fuel generation and accelerated renewable adoption worldwide.
Researchers note that without China’s clean tech surge, the world would have emitted an additional 3% of annual energy-related CO₂ in 2025. The findings underscore the central role of Chinese manufacturing in meeting global climate goals, even as domestic demand for renewables continues to rise.
Handwoven bark cloth is reviving local craftsmanship and cutting textile waste.
In Uganda, traditional bark cloth—made from the inner bark of the mutuba fig tree—is being revived as a sustainable alternative to fast fashion. Artisans are turning the centuries-old material into modern garments, reducing reliance on imported textiles and cutting waste in a sector responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions.
Chemical giant pledges 83% cut in Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2035, validated by the Science Based Targets initiative.
DuPont has secured Science Based Targets initiative validation for its net-zero plan, committing to slash absolute Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse-gas emissions by 83% by 2035. The targets align with a 1.5°C pathway and include interim milestones every five years to ensure accountability.
The 520MW hybrid plant in the Eastern Cape is now supplying renewable energy to the national grid.
The Koruson 2 project, a 520MW hybrid wind and solar facility in South Africa’s Eastern Cape, has begun commercial operations, injecting clean energy into the national grid. The plant is part of the country’s Just Energy Transition strategy and will help reduce reliance on coal-fired power.
Funding will support 400MW of solar and wind projects plus battery storage in Chile’s Atacama region.
Qualitas Energy has raised $286 million to develop 400MW of solar and wind capacity in Chile’s Atacama Desert, alongside battery storage to firm up supply. The projects aim to accelerate Chile’s decarbonization efforts and reduce grid reliance on natural gas.
New analysis warns that already-operating oil, gas and coal infrastructure will push global warming past safe limits.
A report by Oil Change International finds that existing fossil fuel projects—if fully developed—would emit seven times the remaining carbon budget for 1.5°C. The analysis highlights the urgency of halting new fossil fuel expansion and accelerating the phase-out of existing infrastructure to meet international climate targets.
Residents in Arizona could see electricity bills rise by 14% to 16% as the state’s grid struggles to meet surging demand from 100 new data centers. Utilities warn that the additional load risks blackouts and may force costly grid upgrades unless clean-energy solutions are rapidly deployed.
Microsoft is reportedly reconsidering its pledge to power all data centers with 100% clean energy by 2030, citing grid reliability and cost concerns. The move risks undermining the tech giant’s climate commitments and could delay progress toward its net-zero goals.
Why did the solar panel break up with the wind turbine?
It needed some space.
(Groans welcome. Better jokes: reply to this email.)
Daily Puzzle — Sustainability Mini-Crossword
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Type your answers, or print and solve with a pen · Answers in tomorrow's edition
ACROSS 1. The colour of the sustainable economy - and what you recycle for (5) 4. Accumulate, as carbon does in the atmosphere (5) 5. What COP negotiators trade at the summit (5)
DOWN 1. Wheat, rice or maize - a staple crop (5) 2. To ___ a price, as carbon markets do to emissions (5) 3. Gets closer - what the planet is doing to the 1.5 C limit (5)
Green Radar — this edition’s AI footprint
9,748 AI tokens ≈ 4.9 Wh ≈ 1.2 g CO2e — about 1 minutes of video streaming. Estimate under the Climb methodology (Luccioni et al. 2024); EU-average grid (Ember 2023). Exact token counts reported by the model provider.
Compiled automatically · Papers via Semantic Scholar (Scopus/DOI/arXiv records)