Hottest year ever, what can be done? Plenty: more renewables and nuclear, less methane and meat

By JENNIFER McDERMOTT
Associated Press

The shattering of global annual heat records last year is prompting people to ask: what can be done? There is a way forward. Nations have signed on to triple renewable energy by 2030. Proponents of nuclear power say ramping up that emissions-free source can replace fossil fuels now to eliminate emissions from the power sector. Sharp cuts in methane emissions have become a global priority. And each person can reduce their impact on the environment through the choices they make, whether that’s saving energy at home, switching to an electric vehicle or eating less meat and more plant-based foods. The European climate agency said Tuesday that 2023 was 1.48 degrees Celsius (2.66 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial times.