For marine geochemist and chemical oceanographer David Hastings, few issues are more pressing than climate change. A former teacher, Hastings maintains a particular focus on paleoclimatology – the history of past climate changes. Today, he believes the future of the fight against climate change rests on what’s being termed “The Big Switch.”

The Big Switch is the transition from burning fossil fuels to using solar and wind to produce electricity. The goal is to reduce the worst impacts of currently devastating global warming.

A Global Climate Crisis

The world is currently in the midst of an international climate crisis. Rising temperatures are causing droughts, floods, and other extreme weather events. According to David Hastings, these climate impacts are the greatest threat to the natural environment and to human societies we have every experienced..

Hastings knows that a major change in energy policy is essential to prevent the worst effects of climate change. With that, the U.S. and other nations must transition as far away from burning fossil fuels as possible. That’s doable by embracing renewable energy sources like solar and wind instead.

Switching From Fossil Fuels

Burning fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas is the primary source of greenhouse gas emissions. These emissions trap heat in the atmosphere, contributing massively to climate change and global warming. To reduce emissions and curb the rate of climate change, expert David Hastings says the world must pivot to renewable energy sources as a priority.

Take solar energy, for example. Electricity is easily generated using the energy from the sun; solar panels absorb the sun’s energy and turn it into readily available electricity. Consumers can then use this electricity to power their homes, businesses, factories, automobiles, buses, and more. Crucially, solar energy is abundant and clean, making it an extremely attractive option for fighting the effects of climate change stemming from burning fossil fuels. The cost of solar energy has dropped by more than 80 percent in the last decade, making it less expensive than coal or oil for producing electricity.

At the same time, wind energy generated by turbines is also similarly abundant and clean. Both solar panels and wind turbines can be installed in countless locations, with turbines also uniquely suited to offshore installation.

The Big Switch

David Hastings says that at the heart of efforts to move to green energy is the so-called Big Switch. Underpinning this switch is the collaborative transition from burning fossil fuels to using solar and wind to produce electricity, reducing the worst impacts of climate change in the process.

By embracing The Big Switch, nations around the world are reducing their reliance on fossil fuels, first and foremost. They’re also turning to solar and wind energy as they become increasingly important sources of electricity. As the world’s population continues to grow, renewable energy sources will become increasingly important in the coming decades.

Efforts Already Underway

Thankfully, the transition from burning fossil fuels to using solar and wind to produce green energy is already well underway in many parts of the world, David Hastings reports. For example, in the U.S., renewable energy sources currently represent a record-high proportion of the nation’s electricity generation.

Now, Hastings says that this renewable energy production must continue to increase, replacing coal, oil and gas to produce electricity. The United States will reap huge economic benefits by being a leader. By taking action in line with The Big Switch outlined above, it’s hoped that governments worldwide will collectively embrace efforts to reduce the worst effects of climate change and guarantee a more sustainable future for all.