Nearly 150 years since it opened the world’s first coal-fired power station, the U.K. shuttered its last remaining coal plant on October 1. It joins a small handful of countries that have completely cut ties with the most polluting fossil fuel, showing that rapid progress toward a zero-carbon future is possible.

Yet there’s a long way to go. Coal still supplied 36% of the world’s power in 2023. As countries work to ease their reliance on fossil fuels, they can look to countries like the U.K. — which now gets half its power from renewable sources — for inspiration. WRI experts analyzed the 10 countries that have phased down coal the fastest to see what’s driving their success.

Individual actions, like flying less and cutting back on meat, could slash global emissions in half or more by 2050 — if more climate-friendly options are both accessible and affordable. New WRI research examines how countries could better leverage their national climate policies to enable greener choices throughout society.

In rural sub-Saharan Africa, renewable energy can offer so much more than electricity, from bigger farm harvests and higher incomes to more reliable healthcare. But the people who need this technology most often can’t afford it. Local banks could help fix that.

Last week, the U.S. government announced $5.5 million in funding to help scale up domestic production and processing of critical minerals — part of a larger bid to secure a homegrown supply of these essential clean energy components. But what exactly are critical minerals, and why is the U.S. investing so much in sourcing them at home? WRI experts explain. 

We analyzed the 20 top-emitting countries’ national climate plans and found that most do little or nothing to help shift people toward greener behaviors that could have a big impact on the climate, such as flying less or eating a more plant-based diet.