EVs to reach 25% of global car sales this year, potential China emissions peak and other nature and climate news

Electric vehicle (EV) sales exceeded 17 million globally in 2024, which represented more than 20% of global car sales.

Forecasts for 2025 expect EV sales to exceed 20 million worldwide, equating to more than one-quarter of total cars sold this year, according to the International Energy Agency's (IEA) Global EV Outlook 2025.

Significant areas of growth come from emerging markets in Asia and Latin America, with electric car sales jumping by over 60% in 2024 to almost 600,000 – about the size of the European market five years earlier.

However, there are threats to EV uptake as the report notes: "Higher tariffs might increase the price of cars, including electric cars and their components; lower GDP growth could dampen car sales; and lower oil prices affect the fuel cost savings from the use of electric cars."

Though power demand in China has risen, the country has seen a slight decline in emissions over the past 12 months according to a new report from research organization Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. The findings, published in Carbon Brief, find that CO2 emissions have declined by 1 per cent over the past 12 months and that in 2025's first quarter, emissions declined by 1.6 per cent relative to 2024.

To be sure, the dip is slights and emissions trends could still jump to unexpected heights. But given the country has been the world’s largest emitter of carbon dioxide, the data has some experts considering if China's emissions have reached a peak or even a plateau.

The homes of more than one billion people worldwide are exposed to one day of toxic wildfire pollution every year, a study published in the journal Science Advances has found.

Exposure to this pollution is linked to respiratory conditions such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Advice typically given to people affected by wildfires includes sheltering indoors while keeping doors and windows closed. However, another study cited by the authors suggests that the pollution penetrates these defences.

Air purifiers can provide clean air in homes, but they are hard to afford for many people in low-income countries.

Europe dismantled 542 dams, weirs, culverts and sluices in 2024, a report from Dam Removal Europe has found. In total, 23 countries contributed to this figure, with the highest number of removals recorded by Finland, at 138.

European companies are increasingly supporting strong climate action, with 52% of organizations tracked by the LobbyMap platform demonstrating science-aligned or partially science-aligned climate policy engagement.

The world's most consumed fruit is under threat. Roughly 60% of the best banana-growing areas could be lost by 2080, putting at risk the health of the 400 million people who rely on them for up to 27% of their daily calories, according to Christian Aid.

Men emit 26% more greenhouse gases than women with their transport and meat choices, a study published by the Grantham Research Institute has found. The study uses survey data on the food consumption of 2,100 representative French individuals and the transport patterns of 12,500 others.

Starch-based bioplastic could cause just as many health risks as petroleum-based plastic, a study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry suggests. “Biodegradable starch-based plastics may not be as safe and health-promoting as originally assumed,” says Yongfeng Deng, the author of the study.

Receding Perito Moreno glacier in Argentina alarms scientists, watch this video:

The average age of the farmer is high – more than 55 years old. Not enough young farmers are coming through the pipeline to fill their places. On top of this, the global population is increasing, raising the demand for food. During this year's Annual Meeting in Davos, the Forum spoke with Arnold Puech Pays d'Alissac, President of the World Farmers' Organisation, to discuss how to get more young farmers into the profession.

Do you care about the climate? Watch this video to learn about the psychology behind how we interpret others’ attitudes towards the climate crisis:

New York State has made composting compulsory for residents. Watch this video to see why the change has been made and the impact it is having: