Amid ongoing climate challenges, 2026 brings genuinely encouraging data on the energy transition and global reforestation efforts. Solar power has become the cheapest source of electricity in history, and the pace of clean energy deployment is outpacing the most optimistic projections from a decade ago.
Solar installation costs have fallen 99% since 1976, and in 2025, solar accounted for more new electricity capacity than all other sources combined globally. The implications for energy independence, cost, and emissions are profound.
Wind power, battery storage, and green hydrogen are developing rapidly alongside solar. The combination of these technologies is making 24/7 clean electricity increasingly viable, addressing the intermittency challenge that critics have long raised.
“Wind power, battery storage, and green hydrogen are developing rapidly alongside solar.”
On the natural world front, global forest coverage has increased for the second consecutive year — a remarkable turnaround after decades of net deforestation. Brazil's change in forest policy has been transformative, with Amazon deforestation down 80% from peak levels.
Ocean health remains a serious concern. Coral bleaching events are becoming more frequent and severe, and microplastic pollution has reached every corner of the ocean ecosystem. But marine protected areas are expanding, and biodiversity in protected zones is recovering.