Pakistan’s clean energy boom came seemingly out of the blue. In just a few years, the country went from near-zero solar power to the sun providing almost 20% of its electricity. Moreover, solar has done something that decades of subsidized fossil fuels couldn’t: massively expand energy access in rural, off-grid areas.
 
The clincher is, this shift didn’t happen through complicated political processes. It’s been a grassroots movement shaped by a perfect storm of supply and demand — showing that a different pathway to a clean energy future is possible. 

Pope Leo XIV delivered his first address on climate change this Wednesday, reaffirming the papacy’s support for climate action after his predecessor’s landmark statement a decade ago. And the Catholic Church isn’t alone: While it may not always make headlines, faith groups around the world are finding ways to leverage their influence to drive environmental progress.

New research finds that worsening wildfires could kill up to 70,000 Americans each year by 2050. But this is not a foregone conclusion. Efforts like the Lomakatsi Restoration Project in Oregon are showing that it’s possible to mitigate fire risk, restore healthy forests, and uplift communities in the process.

A third of all the food people produce is lost or wasted — possibly much more — while hundreds of millions still face hunger. Slashing this waste isn’t just a moral imperative; it’s a lever to slow climate change, improve livelihoods and save billions of dollars globally each year.

The world sinks a staggering amount of resources into producing food that never gets eaten. But there are solutions available that can reduce food loss and waste at every level, from farm to fork.