Clean energy reaches global milestone

Hi all,

This is issue number 52 of Voyage Green News. We have enjoyed publishing a weekly round up of sustainability news and inspiration during the last year! 🎉 💚 

But this milestone has also made us reflect on our journey to date and come to a difficult decision. This is the last issue of Voyage Green News.

We've truly enjoyed writing and sharing each issue with you, but we've been balancing this with other responsibilities. With some exciting new projects being planned for this year, we've decided to cease publication. This will help give us the extra time and energy we need to focus on these new ventures.

Thank you to every single one of you for being part of Voyage Green News. There are some great climate and clean energy news organisations out there that do great work and need our support, including Grist, Inside Climate News, Canary Media, and Euro News (Green).

♻️ This week’s sustainability news

Clean energy surpasses 40% globally

What’s happening: For the first time since the 1940s, over 40% of the world's electricity came from clean energy sources powered by a record rise in renewables. In addition, fossil fuels contributed to less than half of the electricity produced in the US for the first time ever last month, while solar and wind energy reached new highs. Both milestones are according to data released by Ember, a global energy think tank.

Why it’s happening: The global milestone was reached thanks to a big increase in solar power, which has doubled in the past three years. According to Ember's report, solar farms have been the fastest-growing energy source in the world for the last 20 years.

Wind and solar power made up 24.4% of US electricity in March, setting a new record. Solar power increased by 37% compared to March 2024, and wind power went up by 12%. Together, they produced 83 TWh of electricity, which is 11% more than the previous record in April 2024. Meanwhile, electricity from fossil fuels decreased by 2.5% compared to March 2024. Over the past decade, wind and solar power have grown a lot, while fossil fuel use has been going down. Back in March 2015, fossil fuels provided 65% of US electricity, and wind and solar were only 5.7%. Now, wind and solar power have grown more than four times since then.

Why it’s important: The growth of solar energy, along with nuclear and bioenergy, is expected to increase faster than the world's overall electricity demand, according to Ember. This means that fossil fuels might start to be used less in the global power system. Ember had earlier predicted that 2023 would be the year when emissions from electricity would reach their highest point, after staying steady in the first half of the year. Climate experts hoped emissions would start to decrease, but heatwaves around the world have led to a higher demand for electricity for air conditioning and refrigeration, causing fuel electricity to grow by 1.4% that year.

The report, covering 93% of the world's electricity market in 88 countries, found that increased demand caused emissions from the global power sector to rise by 1.6% to a record high last year. The growing use of electricity for things like artificial intelligence, data centres, electric vehicles, and heat pumps are expected to have a bigger impact this year. Together, these technologies are predicted to increase global electricity demand by 0.7%, which is twice as much as they did five years ago, according to the report.

In 2025, over half of the new power sources in the US will come from solar energy, and Texas will get more than a third of these new solar panels. Solar energy has grown a lot in the last ten years. Back in March 2015, solar power made up only 1% of the electricity in the US. By March this year, it increased to 9.2%. Last month, Ember released a report called ‘US Electricity 2025,’ which looked at changes in the US power sector in 2024. Solar energy grew the most and the fastest among all electricity sources in the US that year. Together, wind and solar energy made up a record 17% of the US electricity supply in 2024, surpassing coal, which made up 15%.

Despite the clear evidence that the market is transitioning to clean energy, Trump signed a series of executive orders this week aimed at boosting the struggling coal industry. However, legal challenges against at least some of these orders are already being foreshadowed. Even some people who support coal admit that Trump's orders probably won't stop coal's big fall from being a major source of electricity in the US.

📖 Read Ember’s press releases: World surpasses 40% clean power as renewables see record rise and Fossil fuels fall below 50% of US electricity for the first month on record

Chevron ordered to pay nearly $745 million USD

What’s happening: A jury decided that oil company Chevron must pay 744.6 million USD to fix damage it caused to the coastal wetlands in southeast Louisiana. This decision came after the lawsuit was first filed over a decade ago. The jury awarded $575 million for land loss, $161 million for contamination, and $8.6 million for abandoned equipment. With interest, the total amount set aside for restoration is over $1.1 billion, according to the lawyers who handled the lawsuit. Plaquemines Parish, the regional parish in southeast Louisiana that brought the lawsuit, had originally asked for $2.6 billion in damages. It’s the first of many similar lawsuits in Louisiana against major oil companies for their part in speeding up land loss along the coast. Chevron plans to appeal the decision.

Why it’s happening: Plaquemines Parish filed the lawsuit against Chevron in 2013. Their parish area is located where the Mississippi River meets the Gulf of Mexico. Over the last 100 years, Louisiana's coastal areas have lost more than 2,000 square miles of land. The US Geological Survey says that oil and gas activities are a big reason for this loss. The state's coastal protection agency warns that another 3,000 square miles could disappear in the next few decades. Oil companies have cut thousands of miles of canals through the wetlands, making them weaker and worsening the effects of rising sea levels. Wastewater from oil production also harms the soil and plants in the area.

The jury found that Texaco, which Chevron bought in 2001, broke Louisiana rules for many years. They didn't fix wetlands damaged by their activities, like digging canals, drilling wells, and dumping wastewater. A 1978 Louisiana law required oil companies to clean up and restore their sites to their original state after finishing work. Even older sites still in use needed permits, but Texaco didn't get the right ones and didn't clean up properly. This led to pollution from wastewater that was not stored safely or was dumped into the marsh. The company also ignored best practices since it started working in the area in the 1940s, according to experts in the lawsuit.

Why it’s important: The damaged wetlands in South Louisiana, which hosts major ports and important energy infrastructure, are now more at risk from flooding and hurricanes. Oil companies have worked hard to stop lawsuits against them in the state. They even tried, but failed, to get Louisiana’s Legislature to pass a law to invalidate these claims. Chevron and other companies also tried to move the lawsuits to federal court, hoping for a more favourable outcome. However, Chevron's expected large payment might encourage other companies to settle the many other lawsuits in Louisiana. Plaquemines Parish alone has 20 more cases against oil companies. The state is running low on money for its coastal restoration projects, which were previously funded by settlements from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Supporters of the lawsuits believe that the payouts could provide much-needed funds. This jury’s decision could also affect the outcomes in other cases across the US, possibly requiring other oil and gas companies to pay large sums for land loss and environmental damage.

📖 Read the full article: Chevron ordered to pay more than $740 million to restore Louisiana coast in landmark trial

😇 People doing great things

Pro bono climate bootcamp for lawyers

Equipping lawyers to support climate action: When people think about climate and law, they often imagine big lawsuits against major polluters or governments that aren't taking action. However, climate causes also need other legal help, like creating contracts, starting a new business or nonprofit, or providing legal defence. Matthew Karmel, a principal at the law firm Offit Kurman, is in charge of their environmental and sustainability law group. He is helping organise the Climate Pro Bono Bootcamp, a two-day free online event this month aimed at teaching lawyers and legal professionals around the world how to volunteer their time and skills to support climate efforts. This special event gathers lawyers from around the world to learn how they can do free legal work to help fight the climate crisis. It also supports new businesses, nonprofits, and community groups focused on the environment. Last year, more than 700 lawyers joined, and they expect even more this year. Their goal is to help legal professionals support communities in need, climate groups, purpose-driven startups, and grassroots movements in their efforts against the climate crisis. During the conference, they will talk about how to find free volunteer opportunities and make the most of them. They will also teach participants the important skills needed to do volunteer work that truly helps others. The bootcamp is also being presented by the Planetary Lawyer Project, an online resource for lawyers who want to help the planet, and Green Pro Bono, a non-profit group offering free legal help to non-profits and social entrepreneurs working on environmental issues.

⭐️ Weekly inspiration

Ditching fossil fuels will improve energy security for most

Risks to energy security decline on average by 19% with net-zero: Switching from fossil fuels to clean energy by 2060 would make energy more secure and lower trade risks for most countries, according to a study in the journal Nature Climate Change, with important materials like lithium, nickel, cobalt, copper, and rare earth minerals needed for zero-emission energy systems mostly found in the Global South, unlike fossil fuels, which could change the power dynamics of energy and global trade.

The dire wolf lives again

Species went extinct over 10,000 years ago: Using advanced genetic engineering and ancient DNA, scientists at Colossal Biosciences figured out the dire wolf's genetic code, modified the genetic code of a grey wolf to match it, and then used domestic dogs as surrogate mothers to successfully bring three dire wolves into the world; the aim is to preserve existing species at threat of extinction and reverse the loss of genetic diversity.

EV sales in the US are actually growing

About 7.5% of new vehicles being sold in Q1 were electric: In the first three months of 2025, almost 300,000 new electric vehicles were sold in the US, according to a report from Kelley Blue Book, which is an 11.4% increase compared to the same time last year despite some challenges including actions taken by the Trump administration.

New EV startup aiming for an affordable pickup truck

Michigan-based Slate Auto: According to several sources and documents, the Jeff Bezos-funded company might begin production as early as next year, aiming to create an affordable two-seat electric pickup truck for around 25,000 USD with the Ford Model T or Volkswagen Beetle reportedly being touted as a North Star for the project.

A sustainable manicure option for DIYers

With ingredients found at your supermarket: A research team in Colorado has created press-on Bio-e-Nails which can be reused and will break down naturally over time with the added bonus that they can easily be made and applied at home by following the basic instructions researchers have made available for free.

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