Alternatives that can make a difference
To keep annual carbon emissions from increasing in a world of growing energy needs will require very large-scale alternatives to current fossil-fuel systems. "Wedges" represent the effects of alternatives that have the potential to displace roughly two terawatts (trillion watts) of greenhouse-gas emitting power sources, thus cutting gigatons (billions of tons) of carbon dioxide emissions over the next half-century.
Hover over icons below to see their respective potential to reduce carbon emissions.
Alternative energy sources and usage behaviors
- Continued Fossil Fuel Emissions
- Projected Fossil Fuel Emissions
- Reduction in Fossil Fuel Emissions
Source: "Stabilization wedges," Pacala and Socolow, Science, 2004; and "Wedges reaffirmed," Socolow, 2011.
Other possibilities not shown here include changes in land use (such as increasing forestland that can soak up carbon dioxide from the air) or capture and storage of carbon dioxide from fossil-fuel plants.
Other possibilities not shown here include changes in land use (such as increasing forestland that can soak up carbon dioxide from the air) or capture and storage of carbon dioxide from fossil-fuel plants.
Graphic: Christine Daniloff and Aleksandar Kanchev
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