EXPONENTIAL GROWTH IN CLEAN ENERGY INVESTMENT
Global clean energy investment was over $330 billion in 2017, the second highest annual figure ever.
RENEWABLES WILL BE CHEAPER THAN FOSSILS IN 2 YEARS
Electricity from renewables will be consistently cheaper in many places than that from most fossil fuels in only two years.
200 COMPANIES BACK CLIMATE RISK DISCLOSURE
More than 200 companies worth a collective $63 trillion in market capitalisation have committed to disclosing the risks they face from climate change via the Task force for Climate-related Financial Disclosure.
JOBS IN RENEWABLES MULTIPLY
In the U.S. high-paid blue collar solar jobs are growing at 17 times the rate of the economy
ELECTRIC TRANSPORTATION IN THE FAST LANE
Investments in electrified vehicles include at least $19 billion by auto-makers in the United States, $21 billion in China and $52 billion in Germany and will continue to grow as investments in batteries and electric vehicles continue apace
GREEN BONDS AT RECORD HIGHS
Global green bond issuance, which grew 8 fold (from $9 billion to $80 billion between 2013 and 2016), hit a record in 2017 of $155.5 billion - an exponential growth of 78% over 2016, surpassing previous estimates. The US, led by state-backed initiatives, China and France were the top performers – accounting for 56% of issuance between them. Moody's has predicted global green bond issuance to eclipse $250 billion in 2018.
22 COUNTRIES ALREADY DECARBONISING
Real decarbonization is already happening in 22 countries representing 20% of global emissions, where emissions are decreasing significantly while GDP continues to rise in around 22 countries including in the U.S.
20 COUNTRIES POWER PAST COAL
Over 20 countries, 2 US states and 5 Canadian provinces will phase out coal by 2030 or before in a new alliance led by the UK and Canada.
US CITIES AND STATES ARE STILL IN FOR PARIS
The combined GDP of U.S. states and cities saying they are committed to the Paris Agreement is $10.1 trillion, larger than the economies of Japan and Germany combined. Together those cities and states are home to 159 million Americans, or 49 percent of the total population. Those states and cities account for 35 percent of U.S. GHG emissions.
1 BILLION TREES IN 2 YEARS
Pakistan’s north western province, Khyber Pakhtunkhaw, has planted an unprecedented 1 billion trees in just over two years, surpassing its international commitment of restoring 350,000 hectares of forests and degraded land.
340 COMPANIES ALIGN BUSINESSES WITH PARIS AGREEMENT
340 companies globally (and counting) across all industries have set science-based-targets. Disclosures to CDP indicate 850 more companies plan to set science-based targets within the next two years signalling the emergence of a ‘new normal’ in the way businesses are developing
INSURERS PULL OUT OF COAL
Several large insurers including Allianz, Zurich, Scor and Swiss Re have pulled back their coverage of coal projects including miners and power generators that use the polluting fuel, opening up a new front in efforts to cut down on coal use.
SUN IS MOST POPULAR NEW ENERGY SOURCE
In October 2017 it was announced that growth in solar power capacity overtook new coal-fired generation for the first time marking the beginning of a new era.
NO NEW COAL IN EUROPE
The EU has pledged that no new coal-fired power plants will be built after 2020 as part of its Paris commitment.
INDIA FORGES AHEAD WITH RENEWABLES
India is now investing more in solar than coal. The shift in power investment is due to a combination of policy and the rapidly decreasing costs of bringing solar power online.
