China's big energy transition milestones ⚡

Hi,

Here’s some good news to start the day:

• The UK will create its first new national forest in 30 years, near Bristol, the Times says. It’ll cover at least 6,000 acres and involve planting 20 million trees.

• Rooftop solar saved California’s ratepayers $1.5 billion in 2023, PV Magazine reported.

• American households installed 64% more battery storage capacity in 2024 than the prior year. To date, half a million homes have installed 3,028 megawatt-hours of storage capacity, Bloomberg reported.

• The EU will fill a “$1 billion hole” in South Africa’s just energy transition (JET) partnership left by the US, says the Financial Times. Similarly, Indonesia says its JET programme will go ahead regardless of America’s withdrawal.

• Australia aims to protect an additional 30 million hectares of bushland, an area larger than New Zealand, Bloomberg reported.

• The European Commission has approved a €5 billion German government initiative to help businesses decarbonise their production processes.

Know anyone else who’d be interested in signing up to this free newsletter? They can do so here.

And if you’d like to get in touch, email us at [email protected].

Thanks for reading.

Nick Hedley

Editor, The Progress Playbook

In numbers: China hits fresh milestones in its energy transition

Among other things, wind and solar have overtaken thermal plants (coal, gas, oil, and bioenergy) in terms of generating capacity.

- Read the full story here.

Economic growth is increasingly decoupling from energy emissions, IEA says

Economic growth is less and less dependent on burning fossil fuels for energy, according to an analysis by the International Energy Agency.

- Read the full story here.

Residents of Paris vote in favour of pedestrianising and greening 500 more streets

Amid a broader push to reduce car usage and bolster the city’s air quality, Parisians have approved a resolution to ‘green’ another 500 streets and ban cars from using them.

- Read the full story here.

Conservation efforts are bringing these species back from the brink

A major review of over 67,000 animal species has found that while the natural world continues to face a biodiversity crisis, targeted conservation efforts are helping bring many species back from the brink of extinction.

- Read the full story here.

Other articles you might find interesting:

• How Nevada became one of America’s biggest battery storage markets

• New wastewater treatment plant uses sewage to produce climate-friendly shipping fuel

• Solar farms can host up to three times as many birds as crop fields, study shows

• These countries are leading the way to 100% renewable electricity

• How China’s ‘two new’ policy aims to cut emissions and boost recycling

• New Zealand inches closer to 100% renewable electricity

Help us grow and maximise our impact via a voluntary monthly subscription facilitated by Google. Simply follow the link above and click on the ‘Contribute with Google’ button.

Have any tips, ideas or feedback for us? Please contact: [email protected].