This article celebrates the good news that is happening around the world in combatting the climate crisis. Climate change is certainly real and all nations, including the United States, need to continue to step up to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that are making our planet warmer. But there is some good news. 

China and other nations are rapidly increasing their development of renewable energy, which is causing a significant shift in the world’s energy landscape. As of 2025, China has emerged as the unchallenged leader in this transition, installing more solar and wind capacity than the rest of the world combined. In 2024, China added 360 gigawatts of renewable capacity, and by early 2025, its combined wind and solar capacity surpassed that of coal for the first time, with total renewable capacity approaching 2,200 gigawatts.

This breakneck pace is driven by massive, state-guided investment in technology, particularly in solar panels, wind turbines, and battery storage, where Chinese companies dominate global supply chains. By mid-2025, clean energy sources accounted for over 40% of China’s electricity generation, bringing the country’s goal that most energy in China would come from renewable sources (solar, wind, and geothermal) before 2030, closer to reality.

Other countries are also contributing to this shift. While China dominates in sheer volume, the European Union, India, and various emerging economies are accelerating their own deployments, aiming to reduce dependence on fossil fuel imports and meet 2030 climate targets. The rapid decline in costs for wind and solar technology, coupled with increasing battery storage, is making renewables the primary choice for new power generation worldwide. 

Meanwhile in the United States, recent federal policy has shifted toward reducing climate regulations and emphasizing energy independence. This has included withdrawing from the Paris Agreement, cutting funding for climate research at agencies such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and NASA, and rolling back emission standards for power plants and vehicles. Supporters argue these changes strengthen economic growth and national energy security, while critics express concern about their long-term environmental impact. Polls suggest that a majority of Americans, including people across political parties, continue to support efforts to address climate change.

Environmentalist and author of the new book Here Comes the Sun, Bill McKibben, is not just issuing dire climate warnings about the climate crisis. He is also describing the rapid transition to renewable energy and has called the explosive growth of solar and wind power an "epochal moment." According to McKibben, solar and wind have become the cheapest, fastest-growing power sources in history, surpassing fossil fuels not only in cost-efficiency, but in their capacity to do more work.

This comes at a good time, since the scientific consensus indicates that Earth’s climate is warming at an unprecedented rate, primarily driven by human activities. The burning of fossil fuels—coal, oil, and gas—traps heat, with average global temperatures having already risen by over 1°C. It’s clear that the years 2015–2024 have been the warmest on record. The results of this warming include rising sea levels, increased ocean acidification, and more frequent, intense extreme weather events like heatwaves, wildfires, droughts, and severe storms. Scientists warn that this warming is rapidly approaching a crucial 1.5°C threshold. Without rapid, deep reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, these results will worsen. 

The Bible says a number of things about stewardship of the Earth including that people are called to take care of creation because God created the Earth and everything in it (Psalm 24:1). Also, God continues to sustain it (Colossians 1:16-17). Environmental degradation often disproportionately affects the poor, so caring for the land is linked to caring for vulnerable people (Luke 10:30-37). While Christians should act responsibly, they are reminded that God is ultimately in control and will renew the heavens and Earth (2 Peter 3:10-13). Scripture warns of drought, famine, and disease if people disobey God and misuse the land (Leviticus 26). Many Christians, including the popes of the Catholic Church, are engaged in caring for creation by urging Christians to choose renewable energy by having solar panels on the roofs of their churches and their homes or participating in a community solar project.