Every time we had a new energy source, we just added it to the mix. We always had to activly cut the usage of the old one to cause a decline. So renewables just can not grown fast enough to cause a decline in fossil fuels. They however can replace them, if we cut them in a smart way.
That’s not really true at all. Significant parts of the world have managed substitutions in recent decades, in particular the decline of coal use in the US and EU looks like replacement, rather than “adding to the mix” on a regional level, and neither part of the world is exporting coal to the places that are burning it.
What we do is a choice, not some inevitability of adding new energy sources to the mix.
As for the EU, there is a working emissions trading system, which limits emissions, so there is active cutting of fossil fuels and coal is the easiest to replace.
weve tried nothing and were all out of ideas
We’re doing a lot more than nothing, but renewables aren’t yet growing fast enough to cause fossil fuel use to decline globally.
Every time we had a new energy source, we just added it to the mix. We always had to activly cut the usage of the old one to cause a decline. So renewables just can not grown fast enough to cause a decline in fossil fuels. They however can replace them, if we cut them in a smart way.
That’s not really true at all. Significant parts of the world have managed substitutions in recent decades, in particular the decline of coal use in the US and EU looks like replacement, rather than “adding to the mix” on a regional level, and neither part of the world is exporting coal to the places that are burning it.
What we do is a choice, not some inevitability of adding new energy sources to the mix.
The US is a net exporter of coal and since 2007, when gas really started to grow, coal imports have fallen and exports have somewhat increased. The good part is mining it in the US is just too expensive, so mines do close down, but it is not a clear win. https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/coal/imports-and-exports.php https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/electricity-prod-source-stacked?country=~USA
As for the EU, there is a working emissions trading system, which limits emissions, so there is active cutting of fossil fuels and coal is the easiest to replace.
Overall US coal extraction has dropped sharply in recent years
The EU did better, with an earlier peak.