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Happy Tuesday, dear reader.

Some good news to kick things off:

• In June, China’s coal and gas power generation fell 7%. The country added 102GW of solar and 26GW of wind capacity in the first half of 2024, placing it on track to beat last year's record installations.

• The new UK government has lifted a de facto ban on new onshore wind farms.

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Thanks for reading.

Nick Hedley

Editor, The Progress Playbook

Germany’s ‘balcony solar’ boom accelerates as regulators cut red tape

Another 220,000 apartment dwellers in Germany installed solar panels on their balconies in the first half of 2024 as a simplified registration process boosted installations, according to electricity regulator Bundesnetzagentur.

- Read the full story here.

Renewables will overtake coal as world’s biggest power source next year — IEA

Renewables will usurp coal as the world’s leading source of power generation in 2025, according to a new analysis by the International Energy Agency (IEA).

- Read the full story here.

Top polluter China’s shrinking emissions put carbon peak in play

China’s carbon dioxide emissions are on track for a first annual decline since 2016, a signal the world’s top polluter may have already peaked its output of greenhouse gases.

- Read the full story here.

Renewables meet 82% of Portugal’s electricity needs in first half of 2024

Domestic renewable energy production met 82% of Portugal’s electricity needs in the first half of 2024, according to the country’s grid operator, REN. That’s up from 61% in the same period a year before thanks to a recovery in hydroelectric output and a surge in wind and solar installations.

- Read the full article here.

South African group launches just transition-focused community engagement platform

Cultiver Group, a Cape Town-based sustainability consultancy, has launched a platform that helps local communities to more meaningfully engage with clean energy project developers, with the aim of ensuring a “just” transition.

- Read the full article here.

The surprisingly simple way cities could save people from extreme heat

“Cool roofs” bounce the sun’s energy back into space using special coatings or reflective shingles.

- Read the full article here.

Other articles you might find interesting:

• Renewables overtake fossil fuels in Italy’s power grid

• Islamic insurance helps cover Muslim farmers battling climate change

• Europe’s city bus operators are rapidly electrifying their fleets, data shows

• Here’s what happened after the city of Anchorage axed parking mandates

• The EU got more than 50% of its electricity from renewables in first half of 2024

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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.