Stephen Leahy
@stephenleahy
Author & Enviro Jurno +25 years | SEAL Award for Enviro Journalism; UN Global Prize for Climate Reporting, etc 3000+ articles @ The Guardian; Nat Geo; Vice; New Scientist; IPS; etc Substack:
Need-to-Know: 'Electric Car Day' means 5 months of free driving July 16 is the day when a gasoline driver will have spent more on fuel than the average EV driver will for the entire year in the UK. The EV driver gets the next 5 months of free driving compared to using a gasoline vehicle. Yea!
Why are we seeing record-hot temps and heatwaves around the world right now? Because most of the world's oceans have been record-hot for months. Plus, the new El Niño is already pushing more heat out of the Pacific.
Need-to-Know: We live on a much hotter planet than 60 years ago. Dangerous heat waves now affect most of the world every summer. We need to understand the health risks of extreme heat and learn how to live with a hotter climate. leahy.substack.com/p/heat-waves...
Reminder: wildfire smoke is 10X more harmful to people than other sources of smog or smokestack emissions. Mask up! leahy.substack.com/p/wildfire-s...
Electric vehicles outsold petrol-vehicle sales in Europe EVs, including plug-in hybrid electric sales in Europe, were up 51%, and outselling petrol-vehicle sales for the first time last year, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association leahy.substack.com/p/clean-ener...
"A million-dollar investment in solar or wind buys an asset that will produce 15 times the energy per dollar over the asset’s lifetime compared to making a one-time million-dollar purchase of gas or oil. To me, it’s a no-brainer." -- M. Liebreich leahy.substack.com/p/clean-ener...
Most folks are surprised by this: The average annual cost to own and operate a car in the U.S. was $12,300 in 2024, according to the US Bureau of Transportation.
#9 EVs, including plug-in hybrid electric sales in Europe, were up 51%, and outselling petrol-vehicle sales for the first time last year. leahy.substack.com/p/clean-ener...
Is it getting hot in here, or is it just me? The UK has just set a provisional new May heat record with 35.0C recorded in West London France has also seen record breaking heat with 36C
Reminder: It makes little sense to complain about the price of gas at the pump when up to 85% is wasted. Only $15 to $25 of that $100 fill-up goes toward moving the car or truck. Need-to-Know Fact: Electric vehicles are 4X more efficient and cheaper to operate. leahy.substack.com/p/my-non-fos...
Solar and wind are taking over the electricity supply. EVs, and heat pumps are electrifying new uses. Batteries and digitalization are making a once-variable supply stable and a once-static demand flexible. The age of electrotech is here leahy.substack.com/p/our-electr...
For a more affordable and healthier life for ourselves and loved ones, we need to embrace renewable energy and use clean electricity to power our homes, businesses, vehicles, and industries. leahy.substack.com/p/we-could-h...
70% of Canadians would rather be a renewable energy superpower than a fossil fuel one Very likely true for most countries...even the U.S.
52% of Americans are concerned or alarmed about climate change -- despite lack of media coverage climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications...
disagree -- big fan of the big scoop or snow sleigh faster, no fiddling with finicky gas motors, noxious pollution and racket
Bringing back good old days of 1970s air pollution....when air pollution today is serious health hazard
"If climate change were a rising river near our street, we'd all be at the dikes, filling and carting sandbags with neighbours and strangers." From 2008 www.ipsnews.net/2008/04/clim...
The cost of solar, wind, and batteries has plummeted over the past 15 years. Fossil fuels haven’t because the costs of extraction have soared as the easy-to-get sources of coal, gas, and oil are depleted. Meanwhile, the sun and wind remain free. leahy.substack.com/p/we-could-h...
Here’s an incredible stat: The energy wasted from inefficient fossil-fuel combustion represents a cost of $4.6 trillion every year, globally.
Loud, shouty people on digital forums give the impression that climate is a minor, even fringe concern, despite the overwhelming evidence of harm. But vast majorities in every country are smarter than that leahy.substack.com/p/the-89-cli...
Renewables projects in 2024 will save $billions in fossil-fuel costs. And more than 90% were more cost-effective than any new fossil fuel alternatives. leahy.substack.com/p/how-china-...
Need-to-Know: 56 Countries get most of their electricity from clean energy glo leahy.substack.com
Severe thunderstorms that bring tornadoes and hailstorms in the U.S. have increased 6X and moved eastward. Damages exceeded $120 billion in the past two years.
33 countries generated more than half of their electricity from renewable sources