Renewable is more than doable: it’s being done

Yes, climate change is likely the greatest challenge our planet has ever faced.  Yes, its impacts are diverse and troubling.  Yes, the thought of tackling such a massive challenge can be overwhelming.
But the good news is that thousands of people around the world have not been overwhelmed by this challenge, and are actually putting solutions to work every day.  We can all use their leadership and vision as inspiration to take action in our own lives, our own cities, our own provinces and territories, and our own country.  We can choose a better future, and play a role in creating it.

We know that the most important way to address climate change is to reduce our emissions, which come primarily from burning fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas. In Canada – and in much of the world – the majority of these emissions come from how we generate and use energy.  So it’s critical that we shift away from technology like coal plants and towards renewable energy sources with far lower emissions. Fortunately, it’s an area where we’re already seeing a lot of success.
Denmark, for example, actually produced more wind power than the entire country used in early November 2013.  While that particular case was exceptional, it shows that it is possible to power a country’s need entirely by renewable energy – and the fact that wind power provided over 50% of Denmark’s electricity for the entire month of December 2013 speaks to its growing importance.   This puts the country well on its way to its goal of generating 50% of all energy from wind by 2020.

Closer to home, all new electricity generation capacity in the US came from renewable sources last November.  Also in 2013, China doubled its installation of renewable energy sources.  
All of this shows us that renewable is not only doable – it’s here.  And in a country with almost boundless renewable energy, nothing could be more practical for Canada’s long-term economic and environmental health.  That’s why WWF has partnered with the University of Waterloo to lay the foundation for 100% renewable energy in Canada by mapping renewable energy potential across the country.  And that’s why we need your support.
These successes also show us that a better future is possible, a future where climate change is no longer a threat.  That’s what I’ll be thinking about during Earth Hour (March 29, 8:30-9:30), during my ‘moment of darkness’.  Let us know what you’ll be thinking about by creating and sharing a video at wwf.ca/earthhour.