Governments urged to set clean energy mandates to trigger positive tipping points

Policymakers could accelerate the global transition to clean energy by setting regulatory mandates with specific deadlines, leading to positive cascading effects in related sectors, according to new research.

Damien Gayle reports for The Guardian.

In short:

• Mandates requiring clean energy adoption in key industries could drive rapid decarbonization by triggering "positive tipping points."
• Research shows mandates, rather than taxes or subsidies, are the most effective tools to promote widespread clean energy use and cost reductions.
• Key mandates include phasing out coal power by 2035 in developed countries and requiring 100% zero-emission vehicle sales by 2035.

Key quote:

“With the world off course to meet the Paris agreement climate goals, triggering positive tipping points is now the only credible way to limit global warming.”

— Prof Tim Lenton, Global Systems Institute at the University of Exeter

Why this matters:

Rapid, mandated shifts toward clean energy are essential to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. Regulatory mandates could help meet critical carbon reduction targets by creating a ripple effect, making green technologies cheaper and more accessible.

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• Clean energy grows, but many of the poorest remain in the dark.