How Much Progress Have We Made on Climate Change? The Truth in 2025

Are We Winning the Climate Fight? A Look at Global Progress

Planet Earth is a masterpiece—lush rainforests, sprawling deserts, towering mountains, and vibrant oceans. It’s the only place in the known universe that supports life as we know it. But for the past few centuries, we’ve been pushing it to the limit.

Since the Industrial Revolution, carbon dioxide levels have risen by over 50%, trapping heat and raising global temperatures by more than one degree Celsius. A few decades ago, scientists warned that if emissions kept rising, we’d face a four-degree temperature increase by 2100—a world of food shortages, extreme weather, and ecological collapse.

But here’s the thing: we didn’t just sit back and watch it happen. The world got to work. Policies changed, renewable energy took off, and the global fight to reduce emissions started gaining momentum.

So, where are we now? Are we actually making a difference?

1. The Renewable Energy Revolution

The biggest source of carbon emissions? Electricity and heat production, responsible for nearly one-third of global emissions. Historically, our power grids have been dominated by coal, oil, and gas—but that's changing fast.

🔹 Over 30% of the world’s electricity now comes from renewables.
🔹 4,000+ gigawatts of clean energy capacity has been installed since 2000.
🔹 Countries like Uruguay and South Australia are nearing 100% clean energy grids.
🔹 The North Sea’s offshore wind boom is helping the UK, Denmark, and the Netherlands aim for fully clean power by 2030-2035.
🔹 India is rolling out 500GW of rooftop solar to power 10 million households.

But the real game-changer? China.

China is installing more wind and solar energy than the rest of the world combined. While it’s still the largest carbon emitter, its per-person emissions are lower than in the U.S.. And in 2024, the massive surge in renewables actually slowed China’s emissions for the first time.

This isn’t just a fluke—experts predict China’s emissions from coal will peak this year and start declining, thanks to renewables and nuclear power expansion.

The global impact? Carbon emissions from electricity generation likely peaked in 2022 and are set to decline moving forward. That’s a huge win.

2. Electrification of Transport & Heating

Even with cleaner electricity, not everything runs on it yet. Heating systems and transportation still rely heavily on fossil fuels. But the shift is happening.

Norway & China: The Future of Transport?
🔹 Norway: 90% of new car sales are electric. The country is set to ban gasoline cars soon.
🔹 China: Over half of new cars sold are electric or hybrid—EV adoption is skyrocketing.
🔹 East Africa: Countries like Kenya, Rwanda, and Ethiopia are investing in EV infrastructure and banning fossil-fuel vehicle imports.

Cheap electricity fuels this shift. In China, solar and wind power are making electricity so affordable that EVs and electric heating are becoming the logical choice.

Right now, electricity only makes up 20% of total global energy use. But in places like Norway and parts of China, it’s nearing 50%—a glimpse into what’s coming worldwide.

3. The Battle Against Industry Emissions

Power, heating, and transport are just part of the problem. Heavy industries—like steel and cement—have been major carbon emitters for decades.

Steel & Cement: The Hard-to-Decarbonize Giants
🔹 Steel accounts for 7% of global emissions, but green hydrogen and electric furnaces are making "green steel" a reality.
🔹 43% of planned new steel plants worldwide will run on electricity instead of coal.
🔹 China—the world’s largest steel producer—has banned new coal-powered steel plants and is shifting to electric furnaces.
🔹 Cement, responsible for 8% of emissions, is seeing early carbon capture projects roll out to curb pollution.

These industries are far from fully clean, but real solutions are finally becoming viable—and governments are pushing for change.

4. Saving Forests: A Silent Victory

Forests are Earth’s natural carbon sinks, sucking CO₂ from the air and protecting biodiversity. The good news? Deforestation is slowing.

🔹 Global emissions from deforestation have dropped 30% since 2000.
🔹 In the Amazon, deforestation rates have halved in the past two years.
🔹 Global reforestation efforts—like the Billion Trees project in New Zealand and the Great Green Wall in Africa—are expanding tree cover.

Deforestation is still happening too fast, but the slowdown is a quiet win for the climate.

5. The Warming Outlook: Where Are We Headed?

At the start of the century, we were on track for 4+°C of warming by 2100. Thanks to the progress we’ve made, that’s now looking more like 2.7°C—and possibly as low as 2.1°C if countries meet their 2030 climate targets.

Why is this a big deal? Every fraction of a degree matters. At:
🔹 4°C warming – Catastrophic climate disasters, food crises, and mass extinctions.
🔹 2.7°C warming – Still dangerous, but far less extreme than 4°C.
🔹 2.1°C warming – The world remains livable, though still with challenges.
🔹 Below 2°C – The ideal goal, where we avoid the worst impacts.

The progress is real—but we’re not done yet.

6. The Role of Government & Policy

While innovation and market forces are helping, government policies still play a crucial role.

🔹 China, Europe, and East Africa are making aggressive climate moves.
🔹 The Middle East—historically reliant on oil—is now one of the fastest-growing renewable energy markets.
🔹 The U.S. made big climate strides—but political shifts could slow progress.

Even if some governments backtrack, clean energy is now the cheaper, smarter investment, meaning companies and economies will keep pushing forward.

The Climate Fight: What Happens Next?

We’ve already cut expected warming from 4°C to 2.7°C. If we push harder, we can still stay below 2°C.

What Needs to Happen Now?

✅ Electrify everything – Cars, heating, and industries must shift to clean energy.
✅ Double down on renewables – More solar, wind, and grid storage is needed.
✅ Keep reducing deforestation – Forests are vital to balancing CO₂ levels.
✅ Push governments to act – Climate policies accelerate progress and prevent backsliding.

The Adventure Isn't Over

The world has made progress. We’re no longer on the path to climate catastrophe, but we’re not in the clear yet.

The fight against climate change isn’t about starting something new—it’s about pushing forward what’s already working. Every policy, every innovation, every shift toward clean energy gets us closer to a safer future.

The question isn’t whether change is happening—it’s whether it will happen fast enough.

The next decade will decide everything.

Stay informed, stay engaged, and stay hopeful. Because the future of our planet is still being written.

For more insights into the biggest global challenges, stay tuned to Woke Waves Magazine. 🌎✨

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