Since 1970, April 22 each year represents a call for international climate action and a reminder of the importance of protecting our planet. This year’s Earth Day is themed on our power, and our planet invites the world to unite to support renewable energy with the goal of tripling the clean electricity by 2030.
To mark this year’s Earth Day, the Climate School has a variety of articles and activities throughout the month of April. Learn more here.
To achieve the goal of tripling the clean electricity by 2030, countries need to move from fossil fuels that produce large amounts of greenhouse gases to “clean” (solar, wind, hydropower, geothermal and biomass) energy.
In context, about 38% of U.S. energy consumption comes from oil in 2023, which emits 47% of U.S. energy-related carbon dioxide, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Next is the use of natural gas, accounting for 36% of energy use and an increase of 37% of emissions. Coal accounts for only 9% of energy consumption, but results in 16% of total energy-related carbon dioxide emissions.
“The shift to renewable energy represents a humanitarian revolution, for the first time in human history, and we have a pathway to provide almost unlimited low-cost energy for everyone,” said Aidan Charron, deputy director of Global Earth Day.
For many years, in the Earth’s state, we have been covering research and dialogue on energy use and renewable energy. Check out some of our recent stories and continue reading about the state of the Earth Coverage this month and year-round on the earth.
