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Norway on Track to Become First All-EV Nation
From a surge of electric vehicles, to the 2024 global climate report, to climate change driving global economic uncertainty, we have the latest climate news and information in this week's ClimateWatch newsletter.
Good morning! A good chunk of the U.S. has been experiencing frigid temperatures over the last few weeks, so we hope you’ve been able to stay warm! Good news for those who dislike the cold - only 57 days until spring!
This week, we have a great mix of the latest climate news and information for you. We’ll talk about a surge in electric vehicles, take a look at the climate report for 2024, and share some predictions about how climate change could drive economic uncertainty in the next decade.
Happy reading!
🚙 Norway on Track to Become First All-Electric Nation
Norway is leading the world in the switch to all electric vehicles, with 9 out of 10 new vehicles sold being electric. In an effort to phase out the sale of fossil fuel cars, 88.9% of vehicles sold in Norway last year were EVs. For the first time ever, electric vehicles outnumbered gasoline-powered vehicles in Norway in 2024. When including diesel-powered engines, EVs account for a third of all vehicles on Norway’s roads. By contrast, new electric car sales in the U.K. made up only 20% of sales in 2024, while the U.S. trailed with only 8%. Norway’s change to electric was not over night, though. In the early 1990s, the country began taxing gasoline and diesel engine cars more, ultimately making them more expensive to purchase. Meanwhile, electric vehicles were exempt from taxes, making them more cost-effective and popular. Norway aims for all new cars sold to be zero emission in 2025. In comparison, the European Union plans to ban the sale of new fossil-fuel cars by 2035, and the U.K. wants the ban as early as 2030.
Out of curiosity, have you purchased an electric vehicle, or are currently considering it? If you have strong feelings about them one way or another, leave us a comment or reply to this email and let us know!
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🌀 2024 Global Climate Report
The National Centers for Environmental Information recently released its annual global climate report for 2024. Here are some of the highlights: The Earth had its warmest year ever on record, with global surface temperatures 2.32F or 1.29C above average. Upper-ocean heat content, the amount of heat stored in the top 2000 meters of the ocean, was record high. Antarctic sea ice extent was the second lowest on record, while Arctic sea ice extent was the 7th lowest on record. There were 85 named tropical storms across the globe, which was slightly below average, and 18 in the North Atlantic, which was above average. There is a greater-than 95% chance that 2025 will rank among the top 5 warmest years on record.
🍃 Climate Change Driving Global Economic Uncertainty
The World Economic Forum released its Global Risks Report 2025 and warns that extreme weather driven by climate change is viewed as one of the top risks for the global economy in 2025 and for the next decade. The report polled more than 900 global risk experts, policymakers, and industry leaders and defines a global risk as a condition that would negatively affect a significant portion of global gross domestic product, population, or natural resources. Environmental concerns account for half of the top 10 risks over the next 10 years. Pollution is seen as a more pressing short-term risk, while biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse is perceived as a greater threat long-term.
That’s all for this week! If you enjoyed our newsletter, please share it with your friends!
-Hannah, Eric, Amy, and Nick
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