A Dose of Climate Optimism
Jan 17, 2025
Although (real and grounded) climate optimism is so much more than just positive news, learning about things that are going right in this world can help you foster hope and seek inspiration of your own. Therefore, we will share some highlights from the week and shed light on climate optimism from around the world.
Here is this week’s dose of climate optimism!
Joe Biden’s national climate adviser sees AI as a ‘massive opportunity
Joe Biden’s national climate adviser sees artificial intelligence as a “massive opportunity” to tackle the climate crisis. From optimizing renewable energy systems to revolutionizing emissions tracking, AI is unlocking solutions at unprecedented speed. The intersection of technology and sustainability could be the turning point we’ve been waiting for—let’s harness it together!
*Note: It doesn't change the fact that AI is extremely energy-intensive and unsustainable in its (current) use, so HOW and WHEN we use AI should be taken into caution. Creating avatars just for fun may not be the most considerate use...
‘LEED’-ing the Way to a Greener Miami
Miami is raising the bar for environmentally-friendly infrastructure with a strong commitment to LEED-certified buildings. By prioritizing energy efficiency, water conservation, and green design, the city is setting a blueprint for urban sustainability. Every building is a step toward a brighter, more resilient future—let’s keep the momentum growing!
A great step forward for a state that has historically been on the backburner of climate action.
New building materials could lock away billions of tons of CO2
New materials like carbon-absorbing concrete and plant-based composites are transforming construction into a climate solution. These innovations have the potential to lock away billions of tons of CO2, turning our cities into powerful tools for fighting climate change. Every new building is an opportunity to create a greener, more sustainable world!
Biden's Climate Legacy
On Monday, Joe Biden’s presidency will end. In his own words: “I have pursued an ambitious climate policy focused on growth. We were told it couldn’t get done, but we did it.”
By any objective measure, Biden’s Administration substantially advanced climate action. He oversaw a huge investment in climate mitigation, a massive increase in renewable energy (which will continue as there are many projects in the pipeline), and achieved a substantial level of decarbonization while growing the economy.
and lastly, maybe the most important new of all…
Trump can’t repeal the most important part of Biden’s climate legacy!
The Biden administration took what is likely to be one of its last actions on climate, detailing a new clean energy tax credit designed to survive scrutiny by Republicans and President-elect Donald Trump.
The credit follows a basic formula that has applied to wind and solar projects for more than a decade, and extends it to a wider range of low-carbon energy sources, including geothermal, nuclear, advanced batteries, and some kinds of biofuels. It could pay out more than $250 billion over the next decade, and cause emissions from the US power sector to fall up to 73% below 2022 levels by 2035, which would make it arguably the single most impactful element of Biden’s climate agenda.
Words of Hope
"We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope."
— Martin Luther King Jr.
More Climate Optimism in 2025?
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