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We've already stopped the "Worst case scenarios" by rapidly replacing Carbon-intensive energy with other sources over the past decade: https://www.nytimes.com/

We've already stopped the "Worst case scenarios" by rapidly replacing Carbon-intensive energy with other sources over the past decade: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/26/climate/emissions-worst-case-scenario-rcp.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/26/climate/emissions-worst-c... Still work to be done, and also plenty of reasons for optimism. Batteries, motors, and carbon free generation only get better.

fulafel 3mo ago
Fossil fuels use continues to increase and shows no signs of slowing down: https://ourworldindata.org/fossil-fuels https://ourworldindata.org/fossil-fuels Instead of trying to push with a string (coming up with new non fossil energy sources) we need to ramp down fossils production using regulation, international agreements, emissions trading etc. Otherwise we'll just keep using both fossil and new energy sources.
- joha4270 3mo ago
  That's a negative framing and while I'm not going to call it /wrong/, but world population is increasing so of course our energy usage is going to increase too. If you scroll a little further down on your linked page, you will encounter another[1] graph, with renewable fraction of primary energy production and its steadily falling everywhere but the gulf states. We're probably doing too little, too late, but my read is actually that we're moving in the right direction even if there is significant inertia to overcome before emissions actually start decreasing. [1]: https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/fossil-fuels-share-energy https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/fossil-fuels-share-energy
  - insane_dreamer 3mo ago
    > we're moving in the right direction many countries are, but the US is now moving in the opposite direction and because of its size it has a very large global impact
  - pstuart 3mo ago
    The US reversed course with the current administration and until things change with regards to that, there will be active resistance to renewable power projects. Because we need all the energy we can get and there's money to be made building out those projects there will still be progress, but it will be done in opposition to federal goals.
tremon 3mo ago
That "worst case scenario" (RCP85) was projecting a 5°C increase by 2100; the current trajectory still puts us at a 3.5°C increase by 2100, whoop-dee-doo. The "avoid climate change scenario" (< 1.5°C by 2100) is also rapidly becoming unattainable.
insane_dreamer 3mo ago
> We've already stopped the "Worst case scenarios" maybe the _very worst_ ones, but there are still plenty of devastating worst case scenarios that are highly plausible and even more so now that Trumpistan dgaf about global warming or reducing fossil fuel emissions

fulafel 3mo ago

Fossil fuels use continues to increase and shows no signs of slowing down: https://ourworldindata.org/fossil-fuels https://ourworldindata.org/fossil-fuels Instead of trying to push with a string (coming up with new non fossil energy sources) we need to ramp down fossils production using regulation, international agreements, emissions trading etc. Otherwise we'll just keep using both fossil and new energy sources.

joha4270 3mo ago
That's a negative framing and while I'm not going to call it /wrong/, but world population is increasing so of course our energy usage is going to increase too. If you scroll a little further down on your linked page, you will encounter another[1] graph, with renewable fraction of primary energy production and its steadily falling everywhere but the gulf states. We're probably doing too little, too late, but my read is actually that we're moving in the right direction even if there is significant inertia to overcome before emissions actually start decreasing. [1]: https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/fossil-fuels-share-energy https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/fossil-fuels-share-energy
- insane_dreamer 3mo ago
  > we're moving in the right direction many countries are, but the US is now moving in the opposite direction and because of its size it has a very large global impact
- pstuart 3mo ago
  The US reversed course with the current administration and until things change with regards to that, there will be active resistance to renewable power projects. Because we need all the energy we can get and there's money to be made building out those projects there will still be progress, but it will be done in opposition to federal goals.

tremon 3mo ago

That "worst case scenario" (RCP85) was projecting a 5°C increase by 2100; the current trajectory still puts us at a 3.5°C increase by 2100, whoop-dee-doo. The "avoid climate change scenario" (< 1.5°C by 2100) is also rapidly becoming unattainable.

insane_dreamer 3mo ago

> We've already stopped the "Worst case scenarios" maybe the _very worst_ ones, but there are still plenty of devastating worst case scenarios that are highly plausible and even more so now that Trumpistan dgaf about global warming or reducing fossil fuel emissions