Know better. Do better.

It's been a hot year. The hottest since records began. And a succession of failed U.N. talks in recent months haven't exactly been encouraging.

But that's not very Christmassy. As a climate journalist, I'd struggle to do this job if the environment was fully devoid of hope.

While the heatwaves of the past year are an ominous sign of things to come, the world is full of examples of positive action.

Renewable energy is surging at an astonishing rate, for example, with a global goal to triple capacity by 2030 within reach.

Cities are tackling air pollution to reduce deadly health impacts, companies are using technology to make their work greener, and the electric vehicle industry is growing globally.

One of the most significant areas of hope, though, is in the Amazon.

The world's largest tropical rainforest is crucial in reducing planet-heating CO2 emissions, but is under threat from climate change, deforestation and fires.

As my colleagues Andre Cabette Fabio and Anastasia Moloney report this week, 2024 has seen significant progress for the forest's conservation.

Perhaps most importantly, deforestation in Brazil - which has the largest share of the Amazon - fell to its lowest level since 2015.

Under Brazil President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, enforcement of environmental laws has been beefed up to protect biodiverse Indigenous lands.

But we're certainly not out of the woods.

Deforestation, fires and droughts have continued to severely damage the Amazon this year, and much of it is in desperate need of restoration.

Politically, 2025 will be a crucial year for the rainforest, with Brazil hosting the COP30 U.N. climate summit in the Amazonian city of Belem in November.

After a disappointing COP29, the world is looking for a turning point in the fight against climate change and, potentially, in the health of the Amazon.

Will the rainforest reach a tipping point where it is altered irreparably? Or will the Amazon be revived into the thriving, biodiverse powerhouse of old?

We'll be back in touch in January. A massive thank you for following our work in 2024 and, whatever you're up to, have a restful holiday.

Jack