Donald Trump has appointed an oil and gas businessman as the next US Energy Secretary. Meanwhile, 2024 has been the warmest year on record, with the planet on track to warm by more than 2C.

Despite this, 2024 saw some good news:

China activated the world's largest offshore solar park, meeting the energy needs of 2.6 million people, and Brazil plans to restore 30 million acres of degradedReduced in quality. rainforest.

And Australia has promised to expand its sub-Antarctic marine park by 300,000km, a huge environmental win for the world.

Last year four beavers were released into the wild in Northumberland, and this year the mother gave birth to the first beaver to be born in England for 400 years.

In France, everyone is now required by law to compost their food waste. If this scheme is rolled out across the EU, it could mean 40 million tonnes of potential soil nutrients are collected each year.

The Vatican City will become the eighth country in the world generating all its energy from renewable sources.

In September, 11 African nations joined forces to protect the Miombo corridor, a precious natural habitat covering a million square miles. The President of Mozambique calls it "one of Africa's most vital ecosystems".

Could science save our planet?

Yes! Scientific innovation matched with popular support can slow down and possibly even reverse environmental destruction.

No! Despite the increase in renewable energy, carbon emissions keep rising, global temperatures too, and the next US president plans to drill for more oil.