With so much else to worry about, EcoWatch listed six reasons that history is on the side of renewable energy (and other practices to cut carbon).
- Renewables are Reducing Global Poverty and Expanding Energy Access: Projects in Bangladesh, Peru, and rural India are using solar to deliver electricity where there was once none.
- Renewable Energy Saves Lives and Makes the World More Secure: Not only is it cutting costs, renewable energy is actually making our world more secure, by helping ensure food and water security for millions.
- Renewable Energy Helps Improve Public Health: Burning fossil fuels pollutes our air, water, and land, and exposure to air pollution kills 600,000 children per year. No such impacts from harnessing sun, wind, and water.
- Climate Action Protects Forests and Reduces Deforestation: Countries like Brazil and India (also Uganda) are creating policies to drastically reduce deforestation as key parts of their strategies for cutting greenhouse gas emissions and meeting their commitments in the Paris agreement (though the lead-up to the Marrakech conference has heard serious concerns about equity and human rights in forest sequestration initiatives).
- Agriculture is Getting Into the Mix: More sustainable agricultural management techniques could reduce global greenhouse gas emissions more than 40%.
- Renewable Energy is Creating Jobs. Lots of Jobs: Last year, 8.1 million people worldwide were employed in the renewable energy industry. And by 2030, if renewable energy doubles as a share of the global energy mix, the sector could employ 24 million.
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