in the news

This essay evaluates past carbon emission reduction and the feasibility of eliminating fossil fuels to achieve net-zero carbon by 2050. Despite international agreements, government spending and regulations, and technological advancements, global fossil fuel consumption surged by 55 percent between 1997 and 2023. And the share of fossil fuels in global energy consumption has only decreased ...

Trump’s victory could extend the life of coal plants for years, because he plans to throw out the Biden administration’s environmental rules on the fossil fuel. Despite pledges by several countries to use less coal, it has stuck around, and global coal demand even rose to a record level last year—largely because of increased use ...

Breathe a Little Easier is part of our ongoing effort to explain the role that energy has played in improving human living standards over the past two centuries. This project examines trends in air quality in the U.S. in order to push back at the doom-and-gloom narratives that dominate so much of our thinking about energy ...

The fundamental assertion behind many climate protests and activism is that decision-makers do not do enough. Often, the specific claim is that an apparent solution—transitioning to 100 percent renewable energy—is being sidelined or that decision-makers are under the influence of fossil fuel lobbyists. As is often the case, this isn’t the full story. An appreciation ...