Renewable energyEnergy collected from renewable resourcesExamples of renewable energy: concentrated solar power in Spain; wind energy in South Africa; the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River in China; biomass energy plant in Scotland.Renewable energy (also called green energy) is energy made from renewable natural resources that are replenished on a human timescale. The most widely used renewable energy types are solar energy, wind power, bioenergy/biomass, and hydropower.
Sustainable energyEnergy is sustainable if it "meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." Definitions of sustainable energy usually look at its effects on the environment, the economy, and society. These impacts range from greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution to energy poverty and toxic waste.
Greenhouse gas emissionsGreenhouse gases emitted from human activitiesGreenhouse gas emissions per person in the highest-emitting countries. Areas of rectangles represent total emissions for each country.Greenhouse gas emissions (GHG emissions) from human activities intensify the greenhouse effect which contributes to climate change. Carbon dioxide (CO2) from burning fossil fuels (such as coal, oil, and natural gas) is the main cause of climate change.
Climate changeHuman-caused changes to climate on EarthChanges in surface air temperature over the past 50 years. The Arctic has warmed the most, and temperatures on land have generally increased more than sea surface temperatures.Earth's average surface air temperature has increased about 1.5 °C (2.7 °F) since the Industrial Revolution.
Fossil fuel phase-outFossil fuel phase-out is the proposed gradual global reduction of the use and production of fossil fuels to zero, to reduce air pollution, limit climate change, and strengthen energy independence. It is part of the ongoing renewable energy transition.
Solar energyRadiant light and heat from the Sun, harnessed with technologyThe Sun produces electromagnetic radiation that can be harnessed as useful energy.Solar energy is the radiant energy from the Sun's light and heat, which can be harnessed using a range of technologies such as solar electricity, solar thermal energy (including solar water heating) and solar architecture.
Carbon sequestrationStoring carbon in a carbon pool Geologic and biologic carbon sequestration of excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere emitted by human activitiesCarbon sequestration is a natural process of storing carbon in a carbon pool. It plays a crucial role in effectively managing the global carbon cycle and limiting climate change by reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Greenhouse gasHeat-trapping gas in an atmosphere Greenhouse gases trap some of the heat that results when sunlight heats the Earth's surface. Three important greenhouse gases are shown symbolically in this image: carbon dioxide, water vapor, and methane.Physical drivers of global warming that has happened so far. Future global warming potential for long-lived drivers like carbon dioxide emissions is not represented. Whiskers on each bar show the possible error range.
Energy conservationReducing energy consumptionEnergy conservation is the effort to reduce wasteful energy consumption by using fewer energy services. This can be done by using energy more effectively (using less and better sources of energy for continuous service) or changing one's behavior to use less and better source of service (for example, by driving vehicles which consume renewable energy or energy with more efficiency).
Paris AgreementThe Paris Agreement (also called the Paris Accords or Paris Climate Accords) is an international treaty on climate change that was signed in 2016. The treaty covers climate change mitigation, adaptation, and finance. The Paris Agreement was negotiated by 196 parties at the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference near Paris, France. As of January 2026, 194 members of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) are parties to the agreement.
Wind powerWind power is the use of wind energy to generate useful work. Historically, wind power was used by sails, windmills and windpumps, but today it is mostly used to generate electricity. This article deals only with wind power for electricity generation. Today, wind power is generated almost completely using wind turbines, generally grouped into wind farms and connected to the electrical grid.
Diet (nutrition)In nutrition, diet is the sum of food consumed by a person or other organism. The word diet often implies the use of specific intake of nutrition for health or weight-management reasons (with the two often being related). Although humans are omnivores, each culture and each person holds some food preferences or some food taboos. This may be due to personal tastes or ethical reasons. Individual dietary choices may be more or less healthy.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.