In the Mad Max movies, despite the arid and unlivable climate caused by the over‑exploitation of fossil fuels, all the ash‑crazed factions fought and killed for oil. In a similar vein, President Donald Trump officially pulled the US out of the fragile Paris Agreement, pursuing “Drill, baby, Drill!” at all costs. You would only become his ally if you think along with him. Outside this? You’re deemed a threat to the US national security.
This pro-fossil move has angered environmentalists, given the climate disasters the world has already endured in recent years, and the global leadership and extraordinary efforts his predecessor Joe Biden had initiated toward energy transition.
As if that were not enough, Trump’s US attacked Venezuela on 3 January, capturing its authoritarian president Nicolás Maduro. The reasons are obvious: Maduro has been accused of acts of narco terrorism conspiracy against the US and his country Venezuela holds the world’s largest oil and gas reserves, which Washington can’t take its eyes off.
All these Mad Max‑style battles, continuing into 2026, make it necessary to review the climate and geopolitics of 2025 — and consider what lies ahead.
A mix of good and bad news
China may be the dubious champion of carbon pollution due to its heavy reliance on fossil fuels, but it remains at the forefront of clean energy generation.
The country’s clean electricity production is on track for its seventh consecutive year of strong growth, rising 15.4% from a year earlier, while clean‑technology exports climbed to more than $180bn.
Beijing now deploys more clean energy — nuclear, solar, wind, and bioenergy — than any other nation, and in 2025 these sources generated 42% of its electricity for the first time.
By contrast, the US moved in the opposite direction. Federal support for renewables was scrapped, and while natural gas remained the main source of electricity, coal‑fired plants surged by 13% — the sharpest rise in four years — driven largely by higher gas prices that increased utility costs.
Coal plants emit far more carbon dioxide than gas plants — over 900,000 metric tons of CO₂ per terawatt hour, compared with about 550,000 tons for gas. As a result, US power‑sector emissions rose 3% in 2025, despite only a 1% increase in generation.
Extreme weather and rising emissions
Weather‑wise, 2025 was turbulent. Despite a weakened La Niña, the year is expected to rank among the three warmest years on record. Remember Hurricane Melissa; the strongest wind on the island nation of Jamaica? About three-quarters of the country’s population was left without power, and most phone systems were unavailable.
From rising misinformation about the climate crisis to apocalyptic extremes — blizzards, tornadoes, floods, droughts, heatwaves, wildfires, hurricanes, and cyclones — the year was marked by chaos.
Sea ice retreated rapidly, and scientists warned the world likely exceeded the 1.5°C warming threshold. Atmospheric CO₂ reached 430 ppm in May, a level last seen millions of years ago.
Glimmers of progress
Despite the challenges of 2025, there were all small wins we can count on in the new year.
In July, the International Court of Justice, the world’s highest court, issued a landmark ruling stating that nations have obligations to act on climate change, paving the way for legal action against those that fail to do so.
Smaller Pacific Island nations also resolved to adopt climate‑friendly policies, even though COP30 in Brazil ended without decisive commitments.
The next COP will be held in Türkiye, with Australia and Pacific nations presiding. Observers hope they can wrestle the agenda away from fossil fuel lobbyists and course-correct global actions towards solving the climate crisis the world is undeniably in.