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Happy Thursday, dear reader.

Some good news to kick things off:

• China’s thermal power generation was down 4.3% in May compared to a year before, in yet another sign the country may be past peak emissions.

• In the US, a growing number of long-range electric vehicle models now cost less than the average new car, according to Bloomberg Green.

• Global solar PV installations could reach 660 GW in 2024, up from 444GW in 2023, says Bernreuter Research.

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Thanks for reading.

Nick Hedley

Editor, The Progress Playbook

China is leading the way in electrification, too

China, which is comfortably the world’s largest supplier and consumer of renewable energy, is leading the way in electrification as well, according to an analysis by nonprofit research group RMI.

The world’s second-largest economy is rapidly transforming itself into “the first major electrostate,” RMI says in its report on the global “cleantech revolution.” Electricity now accounts for close to a third of final energy consumption, a metric that includes things like gas for heating appliances and petrol for cars.

- Read the full story here.

EU passes historic nature restoration law. Here’s what it entails

Thanks to a rogue move by Austria’s climate minister, the European Union has passed a first-of-its-kind law aimed at protecting nature and restoring damaged ecosystems.

- Here’s what the landmark piece of legislation requires of member states.

Canadian province of Alberta quits coal power six years ahead of schedule

The Canadian province of Alberta, home to the city of Calgary, has stopped generating electricity from coal nearly six years ahead of a deadline set by lawmakers.

Coal’s share of Alberta’s electricity mix peaked at 80% in March 2001. Even as recently as 2019, the dirtiest fossil fuel still accounted for 33.5% of the mix, data from the system operator shows.

- This is how Alberta kicked its coal habit.

Europe has significantly reduced inequality in recent years. Here’s how

The European Union has made significant progress in reducing inequality in recent years, according to a new report by the bloc’s statistical office, Eurostat.

The study, which gauges how the EU is faring against the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, finds that the region is failing in some areas but is on track in others. It’s doing poorly when it comes to things like the provision of clean water and sanitation, for instance, but particularly well in terms of narrowing the gap between the rich and poor.

In 2021, the combined income of the richest 20% of the EU’s population was 4.74 times higher than that of the poorest 20%. That’s down from 5.22 in 2013, and 5.03 in 2016.

- Here’s how Europe reduced inequality, according to Eurostat.

Other articles you might find interesting:

• Exclusive interview: Inside South Australia’s world-leading energy transition

• How the Netherlands built a thriving circular economy

• How this South African entrepreneur is slashing grocery costs and waste in the country’s townships

• Renewables comprise nearly 60% of Germany’s electricity output in first quarter of 2024

• Portugal is averaging 91% renewable electricity in 2024, with Europe’s lowest power prices

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Thanks in part to their ambitious renewable energy programmes, Denmark and Estonia are the world leaders in climate action, a recent assessment by a group of non-profit researchers has found.

Both countries aim to complete the transition to 100% renewable electricity by 2030, notes the 2024 Climate Change Performance Index, which was complied by Germanwatch, the NewClimate Institute, and the Climate Action Network.

Denmark is well on its way, with renewables comprising 88% of its electricity mix in 2023, according to data collated by Ember. Estonia has more work to do, but the share of renewables in its electricity system has surged from 16% to 44% in just five years.

- Read the full story here.