Is this a real turning point? Fossil fuels are finally facing their downfall this year, as countries are turning to renewable energy.
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Good news as use of fossil fuels drops
Is this a real turning point? Fossil fuels are finally facing their downfall this year, as countries are turning to renewable energy.
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What's happening?
The amount of fossil fuelsFuels made from decomposing plants and animals, including coal, natural gas and oil. These fuels release carbon dioxide, causing global warming. used to produce the world's energy will fall this year. Or so says a new report about electricity production and the climate.
It will be the first drop outside of a pandemicAn outbreak of disease which occurs across a wide geographic area, as opposed to an epidemic, which is confined to a particular region. or recessionA period of economic decline. A recession occurs when a country's Gross Domestic Product falls for six months in a row. .
Fossil fuels include coal, oil and natural gas. When they are burned to produce energy, they release greenhouse gasesGreenhouse gases, which increase the atmosphere's capacity to hold heat, are vital to life on Earth: without them the planet would be freezing. But human activity is disturbing the delicate balance that created the conditions for life as we know it. Carbon dioxide is responsible for 60% of the manmade greenhouse effect, but we also produce smaller quantities of methane, ozone and nitrous oxide, which are even more damaging.. These gases cause global warmingThe Earth is getting hotter due to climate change..
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The report's authors call it a "turning point". China is using more renewable energy. More than 10% of the world's electricity now comes from wind power and solar power, which collects energy from the sun.
Making electricity is one of the biggest causes of global warming. So scientists hope switching from fossil fuels to renewable energy can make a big difference.
There is still a long way to go. Huge amounts of fossil fuels are still burned every year. The drop this year in greenhouse gas emissionsThings that are released, such as gases, as part of a process. E.g. greenhouse gases. will be very small - perhaps as small as 0.3%. But scientists hope the drop will carry on.
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Is this a real turning point?
Yes! Fossil fuels are one of the biggest causes of global warming. This is one of the first signs that we are starting to control the problem.
No! Not every country has promised to cut back on fossil fuels. The whole world needs to work together, and this is not happening yet.
Keywords
Fossil fuels - Fuels made from decomposing plants and animals, including coal, natural gas and oil. These fuels release carbon dioxide, causing global warming.
Pandemic - An outbreak of disease which occurs across a wide geographic area, as opposed to an epidemic, which is confined to a particular region.
Recession - A period of economic decline. A recession occurs when a country's Gross Domestic Product falls for six months in a row.
Greenhouse gases - Greenhouse gases, which increase the atmosphere's capacity to hold heat, are vital to life on Earth: without them the planet would be freezing. But human activity is disturbing the delicate balance that created the conditions for life as we know it. Carbon dioxide is responsible for 60% of the manmade greenhouse effect, but we also produce smaller quantities of methane, ozone and nitrous oxide, which are even more damaging.
Global warming - The Earth is getting hotter due to climate change.
Emissions - Things that are released, such as gases, as part of a process. E.g. greenhouse gases.
Good news as use of fossil fuels drops
New world order? Fossil fuel generation is set to decline by 0.3% this year. Glossary
Fossil fuels - Fuels made from decomposing plants and animals, including coal, natural gas and oil. These fuels release carbon dioxide, causing global warming.
Pandemic - An outbreak of disease which occurs across a wide geographic area, as opposed to an epidemic, which is confined to a particular region.
Recession - A period of economic decline. A recession occurs when a country’s Gross Domestic Product falls for six months in a row.
Greenhouse gases - Greenhouse gases, which increase the atmosphere's capacity to hold heat, are vital to life on Earth: without them the planet would be freezing. But human activity is disturbing the delicate balance that created the conditions for life as we know it. Carbon dioxide is responsible for 60% of the manmade greenhouse effect, but we also produce smaller quantities of methane, ozone and nitrous oxide, which are even more damaging.
Global warming - The Earth is getting hotter due to climate change.
Emissions - Things that are released, such as gases, as part of a process. E.g. greenhouse gases.