A personal question to our community from Ingmar Rentzhog, Founder of We Don’t Have Time: The Bigger Question Behind the Aviation Debate Ingmar Rentzhog wearing the “Make Science Great Again” hat while speaking on the “Decarbonising Businesses” stage at Economist Sustainability Week in London on March 3. Climate solutions require open dialogue and a science based approach to replacing fossil fuels with better alternatives. Photo: The Economist. Last week, I shared a story about flying with my family after ten years of avoiding flights. It was a very personal and somewhat fragile story for me to share publicly. The discussion that followed reveals a deeper question facing the climate movement today: how do we accelerate the phase-out of fossil fuels while still allowing people the freedom to travel, connect, and explore the world? For this trip, we chose a non-fossil alternative by purchasing Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) that matched the flight’s full fossil fuel use. On We Don’t Have Time, the discussion has been constructive, thoughtful, and respectful. Many people have also written very encouraging messages, saying they appreciate that I dare to talk openly about solutions that already exist in aviation, even if they are not yet perfect. On social media, outside our platform, some reactions have been much harsher. There has been strong criticism, and in some cases, personal attacks directed not only at me, but also at my family. That kind of tone does not move the climate conversation forward. At We Don’t Have Time we believe in dialogue. Solving the climate crisis will require many perspectives, honest conversations, and the ability to respectfully disagree while still working toward the same goal. At the same time, the intensity of the reaction tells us something important. When discussions about real solutions create strong emotions, it often means we are touching on one of the defining questions of the transition. Most people who care about the climate agree on the destination. But we do not always agree on the best path to get there. Different people who care deeply about the climate often come to different conclusions about the best path forward. The transition away from fossil fuels is not a simple or black-and-white question. That is exactly why open dialogue matters. So instead of talking past each other, let us ask the question openly. What do you think is the best way forward? 1. Reduce first We should sharply reduce consumption and mobility across society, phase out fossil fuels as fast as possible, and accept major lifestyle changes and sacrifices in the short term. Only once fossil fuels are largely eliminated should we scale technologies that allow higher levels of consumption again. ­ Vote ­ 2. Technology first We should focus primarily on scaling clean technologies as fast as possible. Innovation and markets will replace fossil fuels without requiring major limits on people’s lifestyles. ­ Vote ­ 3. Both together We should phase out fossil fuels while at the same time embracing and scaling non fossil solutions, even if they are not perfect yet. Regulation and innovation should move in parallel. ­ Vote ­ Vote and share your reasoning in the comments. We will publish the results next week. The goal is not that everyone agrees on every step. The goal is that we move forward together toward the same destination: a prosperous and fossil free future where humanity has learned to live within the planetary boundaries. Thanks for being part of the We Don’t Have Time community. This Debate Didn’t Start Last Week Neste, the world’s leading producer of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), has started producing SAF at its renewable products refinery in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The refinery has been modified to enable Neste to produce up to 500,000 tons of SAF per annum. As a result, Neste’s global SAF production capability has increased to 1.5 million tons (around 1.875 billion liters) per annum. Six months ago I wrote an op-ed in Sweden responding to a column celebrating record levels of air travel in Europe. My argument then was simple: the problem is not that people want to travel. The problem is that we still travel on fossil fuels. We don’t need to stop travelling. We need to stop travelling on oil. That requires phasing out fossil fuel subsidies while scaling fossil-free alternatives such as Sustainable Aviation Fuel, e-fuels, and electric aviation. You can read the English version of that article here: “Should We Really Celebrate Aviation’s Fossil Record?” Looking back, the debate we are having today is really about the same question: How do we replace fossil fuels fast enough while maintaining the freedom to travel and connect with the world? ­ Read the op-ed ­ ­ Join the campaign #MoveTheTravel ­ Energy Security Is Incompatible with Fossil Fuels Israeli fighter jets on their way to attack Iran in mid-June 2025. Photo credit: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit/Wikimedia Commons The U.S.-Israel war on Iran has unleashed chaos on the global energy market. Historically, such shocks have triggered a rush to stockpile fossil fuels and backsliding down the energy ladder. On a longer timescale, however, they have pushed world leaders toward greater investment in energy independence. This latest crisis comes at a unique time for climate diplomacy:  André Corrêa do Lago, following up on commitments made during COP30, has just called for stakeholder contributions to the much anticipated roadmap for a transition away from fossil fuels. It is expected that these contributions will feed directly into the First Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels, to be held in Colombia this April. We’ve seen many energy shocks before but this time a diplomatic infrastructure exists that could guide the world to the only long-term solution to the never-ending energy crises: leaving fossil fuels for good. Click below to read our full analysis. ­ The Last Energy Crisis ­ ­ COP30 Presidency Consultations on Roadmaps ­ ­ First Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels ­ Centering Women’s Voices to  End the Fossil Fuel Era Speakers at the WECAN Press Conference “Indigenous Women from the Amazon: Calls for Urgent Action on the Path to COP30” held at COP29 in Baku, 2024.  Photo Credit: Katherine Quaid / WECAN International As the world lurches toward a reckoning with fossil fuels, the question of who shapes that transition will determine how just it proves to be. With that in mind this International Women’s Day, we are thrilled to be part of a vital convening of women’s climate leadership. On March 31, the Women’s Momentum Assembly for a Just Fossil Fuel Phaseout will bring together over 20 global leaders, including former Irish President Mary Robinson, Indigenous Brazilian congresswoman Célia Xakriabá, and youth climate leader Mitzi Jonelle Tan, in a free virtual gathering to build momentum ahead of the Colombia conference. With real-time interpretation in English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese, it’s a truly global conversation open to all. The need for women’s leadership at this moment couldn’t be clearer. The UN estimates that by 2050, climate change could push 158 million more women and girls into poverty. Historically, multilateral negotiations have underrepresented the communities bearing the greatest costs of fossil fuel dependence. And research consistently shows that climate policies shaped by those most affected produce stronger, more durable outcomes. Women aren’t waiting to be invited into this conversation. They’re organizing it. ­ Learn more about the Women’s Momentum Assembly ­ ­ Register to attend for free ­

­ Some highlights from last week:    Why 99% of glass eels are gone and how we can save them When the far-right governs, climate risk rises – 2026 French Municipal Elections  Sodium ion batteries: Right facts, wrong conclusion!   Greece approves Prinos CO2 storage project  EU codifies 90% decarbonization goal Scotland legalises water cremation   Portugal fined £8.7 million for failing to protect biodiversity Blackwater lakes in the Congo Basin are emitting ancient stored carbon Take a deep breath Events & Broadcasts    Mar 10–12: The Launch of the Nature for Life Hub Learning Journeys  Mar 11–25: Klimatsoffan – election interviews with all Swedish parties  Mar 31: Women’s Momentum Assembly for a Just Fossil Fuel Phaseout

­ Follow us ­ ­ © 2026 We Don’t Have Time, PO Box 141, SE-118 72, Stockholm, Sweden www.wedonthavetime.org info@wedonthavetime.org ­ We Don’t Have Time is the world’s largest media platform for climate action—with a mission to democratize knowledge about climate solutions and inspire and mobilize global action toward a prosperous, fossil-free future. Boasting a community of 100,000+ climate professionals and influencers in 180 countries, and partnerships with 350+ companies, government- and civil society organizations, We Don’t Have Time reaches 200 million people each month on social media. Headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, with offices in Washington, D.C., and Nairobi, Kenya. ­ This email was sent to paul.sladkus1@gmail.com. Read our integrity policy.

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A solar farm abutting a coal-burning power plant in Weifang, China, last year. Gilles Sabrié for The New York Times

Depending on how you look at it, the climate story is one that can inspire genuine optimism or a fair bit of doomerism.

On any given day, there are news stories, academic studies and memes that support two dueling narratives:

This week brought yet another slew of data that provides an opportunity to hold these two seemingly contradictory truths at the same time.

There are elements of truth to both perspectives, of course. It’s a disorienting dynamic that we grapple with as reporters covering climate change. Our work involves reporting on the world as it is. Sometimes that means staring down hard facts about the mess we’ve made, and sometimes that means highlighting the real progress that is underway.

Yes, planet-warming emissions are still on the rise, and the effects of climate change are growing worse. And also, yes, renewable energy is coming online at record rates, and there is a huge global effort to deal with an overheating planet.

On Wednesday, a new report highlighted the stunning, record-breaking gains in wind and solar power around the world. A full 30 percent of global electricity was generated by renewables last year, according to Ember, an energy think tank.

On the very same day, however, the latest figures from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Mauna Loa Observatory revealed record levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. This was the largest 12-month increase ever recorded on the so-called Keeling Curve, which has been used to measure the concentration of CO2 since 1958.

To help make sense of this split-screen moment, I turned to Tony Leiserowitz, director of the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication. Leiserowitz, who tracks public perceptions of global warming, is finely attuned to the often jarring work of reconciling conflicting story lines.

“More than one thing can be true at the same time,” he wrote in an email. “We are witnessing astonishing growth in clean energy. Meanwhile, the hourglass of time we have left to limit global warming at ‘safe’ levels is running out.”

‘Take heart in this news’

Gains in clean energy generation is a theme we’ve been tracking for years now.

Solar power has gotten exponentially cheaper over the past decade, thanks largely to low-cost Chinese manufacturing. And in recent years, it has become more affordable to install wind turbines.

The result, according to Ember, was a 23 percent jump in solar power generation last year, and a 10 percent jump in wind generation. Much of the growth came in China. The country accounted for 51 percent of new solar generation and 60 percent of new wind generation.

Global fossil fuel production grew less than 1 percent last year.

“We should take heart in this news,” said Stacey Abrams, the former Georgia state representative who is now senior counsel at Rewiring America, a nonprofit group working to promote clean power. “We now have more evidence that our shift to clean energy sources is the only viable path to healthier, more resilient communities and a safer climate, here and around the globe.”

And it’s not just power generation that is changing for the better. As my colleagues Brad Plumer and Nadja Popovich report, giant batteries are beginning to play a meaningful role in keeping the lights on and stabilizing the grid.

But Abrams cautioned that good news about renewables shouldn’t lead to complacency. “We can’t for a moment slow down,” she said. “These twin reports demonstrate the urgency of action to ratchet down reliance on fossil fuels while speeding delivery of investment in clean generation.”

‘We sadly continue to break records’

The Keeling Curve data offers another reminder, as if one were needed, that planet-warming emissions, driven largely by the burning of fossil fuels, are continuing to transform our planet.

For more than 65 years now, scientific instruments atop volcanoes in Hawaii have monitored how much carbon dioxide is present in the atmosphere. The data “reveals a saw-toothed line that ticks continually upward over time,” my colleague Elena Shao wrote in 2022. “That pattern is considered by many scientists to be the most important evidence that the climate is changing because of human activity.”

This week’s update was a doozy.

Not only did the concentration of CO2 reach an all-time high, but the trend is accelerating: This was biggest year-over-year jump ever seen. The NOAA report also said CO2 concentration tends to rise quickly toward the end of El Niño cycles like the one we’re currently experiencing.

Which leads us back to the Ember study. The world is making steady progress in ramping up renewables. And that’s a real cause for optimism.

“The notion of a ‘doomer camp’ is overstated,” Leiserowitz said. “The larger majority of Americans reject a fatalistic view of climate change. In fact, the far larger and more important problem is that most Americans are not worried enough.”

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There has been ongoing debate over the issue of immigration and refugees for many months here in the U.S. and around the world.

And in June, there is a day dedicated to refugees — to raise awareness to their needs and plight, realizing the horrors they have endured in leaving their homeland to find a safe place to live. It’s a time to try to work together to ensure every refugee child gets an education, every family has a safe place to call home and every refugee can work or learn new skills to make a positive contribution to their community.

And now, thousands of refugees are also united by one flag. An orange and black flag inspired by the life vests most all had to wear in their search for a safer land to live. It’s been designed and made by a Syrian refugee and artist who currently lives in Amsterdam.

The idea for the flag began by a group known as the The Refugee Nation, after the first ever Olympic team made up of refugees competed in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. While the flag has not yet been sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee, The Refugee Nation wants to give those from foreign nations a symbol of unity and identity that they can call their own.

Right now, refugees are asking for the public’s support in their efforts to resettle. Everyone can help by buying and displaying this special flag and help the refugees adjust to their new surroundings in the U.S.

Our guest — Meron Semedar is an advocate of human rights, refugees and immigrants (and a refugee himself). He will address the current situation of refugees, discuss how and why this unique and special flag was created, and explain how we all can help.

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