Sustainability by numbers

Home
Archive
About
We have enough minerals for the energy transition, but medium-term supply is a challenge [Part 1]
We won't run out of minerals to build a low-carbon energy system.
 • 
Hannah Ritchie
10
New
Top
Community
How much waste do solar panels and wind turbines produce?
Solar and wind produce less waste than coal; but they can reduce waste even further
 • 
Hannah Ritchie
46
The world has enough minerals for low-carbon electricity
Total reserves are not the issue – mine construction and geopolitical risks are likely to be larger barriers to progress.
 • 
Hannah Ritchie
22
The low-carbon energy transition will need less mining than fossil fuels, even when adjusted for waste rock
Low-carbon electricity will reduce material requirements, but moving to electric vehicles increases them
 • 
Hannah Ritchie
21
Can solar and wind power Britain? An update of David MacKay’s numbers
These technologies have developed a lot since 2008. Should we be any more optimistic about their potential to power Britain?
 • 
Hannah Ritchie
79
Electrification is efficiency: The world will need less energy after the transition
Electrification means that final energy demand falls, without changing the value that we get from energy services.
 • 
Hannah Ritchie
34
Meat substitutes need to get a lot cheaper
Meat substitutes are more expensive than their meaty equivalents. Until they're cheaper, they will struggle to bite into the protein market.
 • 
Hannah Ritchie
36
Net-zero: it’s not just where you end up, but how you get there that matters
Delaying emissions cuts makes climate change worse, even if countries reach net-zero in 2050.
 • 
Hannah Ritchie
32
Sustainability by numbers
Sustainability by numbers
Using data and research to understand what really makes a difference
Recommendations
View all 8
Noahpinion
Noahpinion
Noah Smith
An Africanist Perspective
An Africanist Perspective
Ken Opalo
The Climate Brink
The Climate Brink
Andrew Dessler
Scientific Discovery
Scientific Discovery
Saloni Dattani
The Weekly Anthropocene
The Weekly Anthropocene
Sam Matey

Sustainability by numbers

AboutArchiveRecommendationsSitemap
© 2023 Hannah Ritchie
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start WritingGet the app
Substack is the home for great writing