Sustainability by numbers
@hannahritchie.skystack.xyz
Using data and research to understand what really makes a difference
This is an automated Substack Account of https://hannahritchie.substack.com
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This is an automated Substack Account of https://hannahritchie.substack.com
Discover more/Create at: @skystack.xyz
We could produce a lot of electricity on the land used for biofuels • About enough to meet current global electricity demand.
We could produce a lot of electricity on the land used for biofuels
About enough to meet current global electricity demand.
hannahritchie.substack.com
January 27, 2026 at 7:31 AM
We could produce a lot of electricity on the land used for biofuels • About enough to meet current global electricity demand.
Are bees booming or dying off? • Bees are more than just honeybees.
Are bees booming or dying off?
Bees are more than just honeybees.
hannahritchie.substack.com
January 20, 2026 at 10:29 AM
Are bees booming or dying off? • Bees are more than just honeybees.
Many people are individually optimistic but think the world is falling apart • Many people feel their own lives are on track, but society is in decline. This can quietly undermine collective progress.
Many people are individually optimistic but think the world is falling apart
Many people feel their own lives are on track, but society is in decline. This can quietly undermine collective progress.
hannahritchie.substack.com
January 13, 2026 at 7:32 AM
Many people are individually optimistic but think the world is falling apart • Many people feel their own lives are on track, but society is in decline. This can quietly undermine collective progress.
The low life expectancy of Americans is not just about deaths among young people • Even those who reach 65 are at a disadvantage relative to peer countries.
The low life expectancy of Americans is not just about deaths among young people
Even those who reach 65 are at a disadvantage relative to peer countries.
hannahritchie.substack.com
January 10, 2026 at 10:32 AM
The low life expectancy of Americans is not just about deaths among young people • Even those who reach 65 are at a disadvantage relative to peer countries.
Five(ish) charts that give some context to Venezuelan oil • It has the world's largest reserves, produces comparatively little, and has a type of oil that the US needs.
Five(ish) charts that give some context to Venezuelan oil
It has the world's largest reserves, produces comparatively little, and has a type of oil that the US needs.
hannahritchie.substack.com
January 5, 2026 at 10:33 AM
Five(ish) charts that give some context to Venezuelan oil • It has the world's largest reserves, produces comparatively little, and has a type of oil that the US needs.
Some changes to Sustainability by Numbers in the new year
Some changes to Sustainability by Numbers in the new year
www.sustainabilitybynumbers.com
December 22, 2025 at 7:32 AM
Some changes to Sustainability by Numbers in the new year
Can we break the human development-environment trade-off? • The opportunity to build a human-nature relationship that is not zero-sum.
Can we break the human development-environment trade-off?
The opportunity to build a human-nature relationship that is not zero-sum.
www.sustainabilitybynumbers.com
December 13, 2025 at 10:35 AM
Can we break the human development-environment trade-off? • The opportunity to build a human-nature relationship that is not zero-sum.
What happened on energy and climate in China this year? • Emissions flatlined; clean power pushed out coal; and oil for transport falls again.
What happened on energy and climate in China this year?
Emissions flatlined; clean power pushed out coal; and oil for transport falls again.
www.sustainabilitybynumbers.com
December 5, 2025 at 10:33 AM
What happened on energy and climate in China this year? • Emissions flatlined; clean power pushed out coal; and oil for transport falls again.
Will oil and gas consumption keep rising through 2050? • Unpacking some of the assumptions behind the IEA's policy scenarios.
Will oil and gas consumption keep rising through 2050?
Unpacking some of the assumptions behind the IEA's policy scenarios.
www.sustainabilitybynumbers.com
November 20, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Will oil and gas consumption keep rising through 2050? • Unpacking some of the assumptions behind the IEA's policy scenarios.
What happened to global carbon emissions this year? • Emissions from fossils are up, emissions from land use are down.
What happened to global carbon emissions this year?
Emissions from fossils are up, emissions from land use are down.
www.sustainabilitybynumbers.com
November 20, 2025 at 5:13 PM
What happened to global carbon emissions this year? • Emissions from fossils are up, emissions from land use are down.
Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon has fallen again in 2025 • Progress on deforestation, but increased threats from wildfires.
Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon has fallen again in 2025
Progress on deforestation, but increased threats from wildfires.
www.sustainabilitybynumbers.com
November 20, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon has fallen again in 2025 • Progress on deforestation, but increased threats from wildfires.
Artificial intelligence could dramatically improve weather forecasting • An AI-based model outperformed every other in forecasting the Indian monsoon this year. This helped millions of farmers.
Artificial intelligence could dramatically improve weather forecasting
An AI-based model outperformed every other in forecasting the Indian monsoon this year. This helped millions of farmers.
www.sustainabilitybynumbers.com
November 20, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Artificial intelligence could dramatically improve weather forecasting • An AI-based model outperformed every other in forecasting the Indian monsoon this year. This helped millions of farmers.
How unprecedented is power demand growth in the United States? • Electricity generation is expected to rise. But will it grow much faster than it did in the past?
How unprecedented is power demand growth in the United States?
Electricity generation is expected to rise. But will it grow much faster than it did in the past?
www.sustainabilitybynumbers.com
November 20, 2025 at 5:13 PM
How unprecedented is power demand growth in the United States? • Electricity generation is expected to rise. But will it grow much faster than it did in the past?
Eliminating contrails from flying could be incredibly cheap • Could we halve aviation's climate impact at a fraction of the cost of sustainable aviation fuels?
Eliminating contrails from flying could be incredibly cheap
Could we halve aviation's climate impact at a fraction of the cost of sustainable aviation fuels?
www.sustainabilitybynumbers.com
November 20, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Eliminating contrails from flying could be incredibly cheap • Could we halve aviation's climate impact at a fraction of the cost of sustainable aviation fuels?
The world is on track for record harvests this year • What do the latest projections expect for global food production and yields of different crops?
The world is on track for record harvests this year
What do the latest projections expect for global food production and yields of different crops?
www.sustainabilitybynumbers.com
November 20, 2025 at 5:13 PM
The world is on track for record harvests this year • What do the latest projections expect for global food production and yields of different crops?
My new book — Clearing the Air — is published in the UK today • A Hopeful Guide to Solving Climate Change — in 50 Questions and Answers
My new book — Clearing the Air — is published in the UK today
A Hopeful Guide to Solving Climate Change — in 50 Questions and Answers
www.sustainabilitybynumbers.com
November 20, 2025 at 5:13 PM
My new book — Clearing the Air — is published in the UK today • A Hopeful Guide to Solving Climate Change — in 50 Questions and Answers
The Electrotech Revolution: Some insights into a new way of thinking about the transition • From burning old sunshine to using it in real-time.
The Electrotech Revolution: Some insights into a new way of thinking about the transition
From burning old sunshine to using it in real-time.
www.sustainabilitybynumbers.com
November 20, 2025 at 5:13 PM
The Electrotech Revolution: Some insights into a new way of thinking about the transition • From burning old sunshine to using it in real-time.
Which countries are scaling solar and wind the fastest? • The leaderboard is quite different depending on what metric you look at.
Which countries are scaling solar and wind the fastest?
The leaderboard is quite different depending on what metric you look at.
www.sustainabilitybynumbers.com
November 20, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Which countries are scaling solar and wind the fastest? • The leaderboard is quite different depending on what metric you look at.
How much do electric car batteries degrade? • Many electric cars will still have more than 80% of their initial capacity after 200,000 miles.
How much do electric car batteries degrade?
Many electric cars will still have more than 80% of their initial capacity after 200,000 miles.
www.sustainabilitybynumbers.com
November 20, 2025 at 5:14 PM
How much do electric car batteries degrade? • Many electric cars will still have more than 80% of their initial capacity after 200,000 miles.
No, growing more food does not mean we always need more and more inputs • Lower-income countries do, but many high and middle-income countries have reduced fertilisers, pesticides, labour, and in some cases land, without reducing food production.
No, growing more food does not mean we always need more and more inputs
Lower-income countries do, but many high and middle-income countries have reduced fertilisers, pesticides, labour, and in some cases land, without reducing food production.
www.sustainabilitybynumbers.com
November 20, 2025 at 5:14 PM
No, growing more food does not mean we always need more and more inputs • Lower-income countries do, but many high and middle-income countries have reduced fertilisers, pesticides, labour, and in some cases land, without reducing food production.
My new book — Clearing the Air — is coming out in September! • A Hopeful Guide to Solving Climate Change — in 50 Questions and Answers.
My new book — Clearing the Air — is coming out in September!
A Hopeful Guide to Solving Climate Change — in 50 Questions and Answers.
www.sustainabilitybynumbers.com
November 20, 2025 at 5:14 PM
My new book — Clearing the Air — is coming out in September! • A Hopeful Guide to Solving Climate Change — in 50 Questions and Answers.
How does geothermal energy work, and why don’t we use it more? • Despite having huge amounts of heat beneath our feet, geothermal provides just 0.3% of the world's electricity.
How does geothermal energy work, and why don’t we use it more?
Despite having huge amounts of heat beneath our feet, geothermal provides just 0.3% of the world's electricity.
www.sustainabilitybynumbers.com
November 20, 2025 at 5:14 PM
How does geothermal energy work, and why don’t we use it more? • Despite having huge amounts of heat beneath our feet, geothermal provides just 0.3% of the world's electricity.
How big is the generational divide on climate change? • The generational divide on belief and concern about climate change is small; there are slightly bigger gaps in what to do about it.
How big is the generational divide on climate change?
The generational divide on belief and concern about climate change is small; there are slightly bigger gaps in what to do about it.
www.sustainabilitybynumbers.com
November 20, 2025 at 5:14 PM
How big is the generational divide on climate change? • The generational divide on belief and concern about climate change is small; there are slightly bigger gaps in what to do about it.
Under-the-hood of writing on Substack • Subscribers, revenue, and why more people should write long-form.
Under-the-hood of writing on Substack
Subscribers, revenue, and why more people should write long-form.
www.sustainabilitybynumbers.com
November 20, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Under-the-hood of writing on Substack • Subscribers, revenue, and why more people should write long-form.
Why are solar panels and batteries from China so cheap? • It's more to do with automation and state-of-the art manufacturing processes than cheap labour.
Why are solar panels and batteries from China so cheap?
It's more to do with automation and state-of-the art manufacturing processes than cheap labour.
www.sustainabilitybynumbers.com
November 20, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Why are solar panels and batteries from China so cheap? • It's more to do with automation and state-of-the art manufacturing processes than cheap labour.