A few weeks ago, the world crossed a major solar milestone: 3 terawatt installed. Why did no one notice?
0.1 TW to 1 TW: 120 months
1 TW to 2 TW: 29 months
2 TW to 3 TW: 19 months
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Akshat Rathi
@akshatrathi@mastodon.green
mastodon 4.7.3- Senior climate reporter, Bloomberg News
- Podcast http://bloomberg.com/zero-podcast
- Newsletter http://bit.ly/bbg-zero
- akshat.rathi@proton.me
- https://akshatrathi.com
1842 Followers
120 Following
23 Posts
Joined October 30, 2022
This wasn't on my adaptation bingo card. "Romania used 180kg explosive to blow rock to divert water from drought-hit Danube to nuclear reactor." https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/aug/03/romania-blasts-divert-danube-water-nuclear-reactor-energy-crisis-hungary
Scientists had warned us. Climate change doesn't just hurt nature, it also hurts capital.
You can continue to deny it or ignore acting on it, only if you can afford to pay for the growing damages.
"Four new reactors of 1 gigawatt each are now estimated to cost $14.4 billion -- 55% of more than the 2024 estimate."
Even India can't stop spiraling costs of nuclear plant build out. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-07-30/india-russian-nuclear-reactor-costs-surge-after-delays?accessToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJzb3VyY2UiOiJTdWJzY3JpYmVyR2lmdGVkQXJ0aWNsZSIsImlhdCI6MTc4NTQwNjU0MiwiZXhwIjoxNzg2MDExMzQyLCJhcnRpY2xlSWQiOiJUSVhZR1dLR0NURkswMCIsImJjb25uZWN0SWQiOiIwQzg4NkY0NTI0NzY0RUE0OEY2QTk4RTk1NDc5RTI2NSJ9.z0tPOGWXww4AxCvSrDqiY7xEaBYIGCgAnoFAkUra4rQ
"Heat waves in London in 2022 cost £1.5 billion ($2 billion), the Mayor’s office said in a report. It would cost somewhere between £9 billion and £45 billion to make the most vulnerable homes more resilient."
AI labs buy, scan, shred millions of rare books https://www.news.com.au/technology/online/internet/ai-labs-buy-scan-shred-millions-of-rare-books/news-story/0c3b45a67093ab462a587a0348538ce9
Rainy, grey London NOT and it's bad, very bad. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-07-29/drought-declared-for-london-and-half-of-england-as-risks-mount?accessToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJzb3VyY2UiOiJTdWJzY3JpYmVyR2lmdGVkQXJ0aWNsZSIsImlhdCI6MTc4NTMzMzE2MiwiZXhwIjoxNzg1OTM3OTYyLCJhcnRpY2xlSWQiOiJUSU9MWDBLSzNOWUIwMCIsImJjb25uZWN0SWQiOiIwQzg4NkY0NTI0NzY0RUE0OEY2QTk4RTk1NDc5RTI2NSJ9.ZQwGpAuK-twf4mtiCjrvN4Ml7YsWxNdxIRlCJfvoGUk
Be careful what you fish for. Resilience is a euphemism for “Buckle up, it’s getting rough out there. I hope we can make it.” Ironically, on average, investments in resilience lead to a decline in welfare of citizens.
China's new renewable power generation goals
2025: 4 trillion kWh
2030: 6 trillion kWh
Of which wind + solar will contribute
2025: 2.3 trillion kWh
2030: 4 trillion kWh
So wind + solar will make up 85% of the increase in renewables thanks to batteries. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-07-23/china-aims-to-boost-renewable-energy-consumption-53-by-2030?accessToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJzb3VyY2UiOiJTdWJzY3JpYmVyR2lmdGVkQXJ0aWNsZSIsImlhdCI6MTc4NDkxMTQyNCwiZXhwIjoxNzg1NTE2MjI0LCJhcnRpY2xlSWQiOiJUSUxVODJUOTZPU0cwMCIsImJjb25uZWN0SWQiOiIwQzg4NkY0NTI0NzY0RUE0OEY2QTk4RTk1NDc5RTI2NSJ9.qfXPve_U5pynObrkvVufsy1ppvPyYv9RVDmMK10TN08
War chokes Middle East trade routes, climate chokes Central American one.
"During the last El Niño of 2023-2024, monthly vessel traffic through the canal plunged from a pre-El Niño peak of 1,523 in December 2022 to a low of 1,054 in February 2024."
"There has been an assumption in Canberra that the gas industry is politically untouchable. That assumption is beginning to change because Australians can see the gap between record gas exports, huge industry profits and what is flowing back to the public."
When even scientists are shocked by extreme weather, the only conclusion to draw: we're in trouble. 🎁🔗 https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2026-extreme-heat-climate-change-data/?accessToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJzb3VyY2UiOiJTdWJzY3JpYmVyR2lmdGVkQXJ0aWNsZSIsImlhdCI6MTc4MzMzODAzNCwiZXhwIjoxNzgzOTQyODM0LCJhcnRpY2xlSWQiOiJUSFFSR0tLR0NURlQwMCIsImJjb25uZWN0SWQiOiIwQzg4NkY0NTI0NzY0RUE0OEY2QTk4RTk1NDc5RTI2NSJ9.1Gszo85wM3Zz-dmJk-aKEmZuJKB7DSkoFcJaGZNofyU
"A climate monster is growing in the Pacific Ocean, perhaps the most fearsome El Niño since before scientists even began modeling them. It will give us at least a brief preview of a hotter and more chaotic world — a 2027 like we might’ve expected to see in 2035." https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/06/opinion/el-nino-climate.html
Strap in. All signs point to an ever lengthening conflict.
Clean cooking is a key climate solution. A company that raised $300 million and was reliant on carbon offset sales for its business model to work has gone bust. Lots of lessons for developing countries and offset sellers.
Ok, sure. I'll believe it when I see it.
China is a green tech behemoth. But it's not really a leader in climate diplomacy. That needs different chops.
Cherry juice as a sleep unlock during heat waves. Thanks elite athletes for this hack! https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/jul/18/sports-stars-on-sleep-tips-ezri-konsa-katarina-johnson-thompson-adam-peaty
Current El Nino, on top of human-caused climate change, could mean global avg temp could breach 2C of warming.
While scientists have long braced for climate change, the growing severity of its impacts is shocking them. Excellent deep dive @eroston.bsky.social. https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2026-extreme-heat-climate-change-data/?accessToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJzb3VyY2UiOiJTdWJzY3JpYmVyR2lmdGVkQXJ0aWNsZSIsImlhdCI6MTc4MzMzNjUzMSwiZXhwIjoxNzgzOTQxMzMxLCJhcnRpY2xlSWQiOiJUSFFSR0tLR0NURlQwMCIsImJjb25uZWN0SWQiOiIwQzg4NkY0NTI0NzY0RUE0OEY2QTk4RTk1NDc5RTI2NSJ9.38vouxpiJYi_MnxDIs9MfFMmtS1ArUuLaYWpQyqDU9w
"The sooner we update the way we think about the current state of AI, the sooner we can all stop freaking out about the wrong things — and start preparing ourselves for the ways it really will transform our world."
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/30/opinion/ai-agents-steal-jobs-employment.html
"Audiences want and need climate news. The real challenge is to find sustainable pathways for climate journalists to work and thrive. Our collective future relies on the presence of climate journalists throughout the media ecosystem." https://niemanreports.org/climate-journalism-cuts-layoffs-environmental-natural-disasters-reporters-global-warming/
The heat has led to the next disaster. Before more heat comes our way. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-07-03/wildfires-ravage-southern-france-as-next-heat-wave-looms?accessToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJzb3VyY2UiOiJTdWJzY3JpYmVyR2lmdGVkQXJ0aWNsZSIsImlhdCI6MTc4MzA3OTE5MywiZXhwIjoxNzgzNjgzOTkzLCJhcnRpY2xlSWQiOiJUSExBWVVUOU5KTFUwMCIsImJjb25uZWN0SWQiOiIwQzg4NkY0NTI0NzY0RUE0OEY2QTk4RTk1NDc5RTI2NSJ9.Q5qmfMO-vnXDW51cWfChgwcoS56ui9eAM2vMCHmwCX0