‘Here Comes the Sun’: A Hopeful, Urgent Call to Action

A Fresh Perspective on the Global Rise of Renewable Energy

Despite President Trump’s known disapproval of renewable energy, progress is being made in the field, particularly in the sectors of wind and solar power. This was highlighted by Bill McKibben in his new book, Here Comes the Sun: A Last Chance for the Climate and a Fresh Chance for Civilization.

A look at Trump’s track record reveals a consistent pattern of criticism towards environmentally-friendly energy sources. He has made claims, such as solar and wind power being “prohibitively expensive” and even causing health and environmental issues, none of which are supported by factual evidence. Furthermore, Trump’s administration has shown hostility towards renewable energy, prioritising fossil fuels instead. They have taken actions to halt wind farm projects, repealed tax credits for solar and wind projects, and ceased monitoring and research related to climate change.

The Rise of Renewable Energy

Contrary to what these actions might suggest, McKibben’s book argues that the renewable energy movement cannot be halted. He posited that Trump’s administration might slow down its progress domestically, but globally, the adoption of renewable energy is moving at an accelerated pace.

Supporting these assertions, the book refers to a statistic stating that in 2024, 40% of global energy production came from renewables. By 2025, this figure had almost reached 50%, marking the first time that renewable facilities outperformed coal-burning plants in terms of electricity generation. Interestingly, during Trump’s first month of presidency, 92.5% of all new power installed globally came from green sources, and 98% of new energy generation in the United States came from wind and solar.

Green Energy Advancements Across the Globe

The book provides numerous examples of countries making strides towards the deployment of renewable energy and the decline of fossil fuels. Some of the reasons driving the shift towards renewable energy include the fact that wind and solar energy are free and abundant. Additionally, the technology used to harness these energy sources is becoming increasingly efficient.

Among the examples highlighted, Texas installed more solar panels in the first eight months of 2024 than 39 other states combined. California generated all its energy from renewable sources on Election Day in 2024. In a striking instance of irony, the Kentucky Coal Mining Museum in Benham, Kentucky now meets its energy needs using 80 rooftop solar panels.

The Efficiency of Green Energy

With regard to the efficiency of renewable energy, McKibben presents an eye-opening comparison. Shipping a ton of coal would generate about two megawatt hours of electricity, whereas shipping a ton of solar panels would over a quarter-century produce about 1,000 megawatt hours, which is 500 times as much. This demonstrates the immense potential of renewable energy.

The rising popularity of renewable energy is evident in countries like Pakistan, where solar power installation accounted for 25% of production in 2025. A decentralised approach is being adopted, with homeowners and apartment dwellers installing solar panels on their balconies. This approach is also being encouraged in the United States, with the New York State Legislature approving the SUNNY Act (Solar Up Now New York), which promotes the use of “balcony solar.”

Renewable Energy and Climate Change

Despite the progress in renewable energy, McKibben acknowledges that it cannot halt global warming as it has already caused significant damage. He states that the Earth’s climate has warmed 1.5 degrees over the past half a century, leading to numerous natural disasters. However, he remains optimistic about the future, believing that we have been given one last chance to stop global warming from making civilization impossible. He ends his book with a hopeful outlook, urging us to turn to the daytime sky and our star for a cleaner, healthier, and safer world.

Here Comes the Sun: A Last Chance for the Climate and a Fresh Chance for Civilization by Bill McKibben is available at Barnes and Noble and on Amazon.