Climate Action
Our Power, Our Planet: Earth Day’s 2025 Theme Decoded
September 12, 2024
Every year, over 1 billion people across the planet observe Earth Day on and around April 22. They hold trash cleanups, they write to their elected officials demanding change, they hold vigils, organize marches, hold educational events, art competitions, nature walks, and more.
Every Earth Day has a designated theme, which we are honored to set. In 2023 it was Invest in Our Planet, encouraging business, politicians, and the public to rally behind climate-friendly choices. In 2024, we persuaded millions of you to stand up to plastics’ harmful impact on human health with Planet vs. Plastics. It helped to persuade the U.S government to change their mind on capping global plastic production, which they now support, because of your hands-on activism.
For 2025, our 55th anniversary year, we are focused on supporting the tripling of renewable energy by 2030 with our theme Our Power, Our Planet, which is championing solar, wind, hydroelectric, geothermal, and tidal generated energy.
But why does Earth Day have themes?
Why don’t we just stick with our name, Earth Day, and rally behind that? Well there are reasons; introducing a new theme brings attention to the most pressing environmental issues, and themes can bring billions of voices together as one powerful collective pushing for change. Perhaps most powerfully of all, our themes help to shape the environmental conversation across the planet. The problems we face are vast and varied, from deforestation and biodiversity losses to pollution and climate change. A new theme allows the spotlight to shine on areas where it is needed most, and mobilizes individuals who typically aren’t advocates for the planet.
The collective power of a billion voices is vast and one billion people speaking out on an issue is hard for governments, institutions, or industry to ignore.
Kathleen Rogers, President, EARTHDAY.ORG
So what’s the case for a theme around renewable energy?
The truth of the matter is that our global power consumption is not decreasing anytime soon; in fact, as populations and economies grow, so will our energy usage. Trying to meet demand with old school fossil fuels is not only unsustainable because they are finite resources and will eventually run out — but it is also extremely harmful to human and planetary health.
Fossil fuels are the primary sources of dangerous greenhouse gas emissions, contributing directly to global warming and causing widespread environmental degradation. They are also linked to severe human health problems, from respiratory issues to cancer. In contrast, renewable energy is a game-changer that can provide cheaper and more sustainable electricity, doesn’t cause climate change, and is better for human health. Which is why we want you to join us to amplify Our Power, Our Planet.
For years we have been fed the lie that only fossil fuels can power the planet, that is not true. By the 2030s, the largest source of electricity generation on the planet will be solar power.
Denis Hayes, Organizer of the Very First Earth Day, and Board Chair Emeritus of EARTHDAY.ORG
The Power Factor
The three main pillars of our campaign are power, people, and planet. Here’s why.
We need power. To get it, we need to fully harness the potential of our planet’s resources which is why we are calling for tripling of renewable energy generation by 2030. This goal may sound ambitious, but collectively solar, wind, hydroelectric, geothermal, and tidal energies can meet this challenge head on. Consider these facts:
- A third of all homes in Australia already use solar power. Iceland, Norway and Ethiopia are all largely powered by renewable generated energy. Uruguay has transformed its energy sector, moving away from being almost entirely dependent on oil imports to generating 98% of its electricity from renewable sources.
- In Denmark, over 50% of the country’s electricity is already generated from wind turbines (and they have already provided 100% of the nation’s power for periods over 24 hours).
- Kenya is a leader in Africa, with geothermal power accounting for nearly half of its electricity generation.
- Renewable energy today represented nearly 25% of the electricity generated in the United States in the first 6 months of 2023, with some researchers predicting that within ten years, renewable energy could account for 90% of US energy needs. One of the states driving this growth in clean energy is none other that the great state of Texas — long associated with oil production — they now lead the nation in wind energy generation.
Renewable energy represents a huge economic opportunity for the world and it will conservatively create 14 million new jobs globally. In 2023, renewable energy worldwide was worth $1.21 trillion and it is projected to grow 17.2% annually from 2024 to 2030.
This presents an enormous opportunity for entrepreneurs, industries, and those seeking well-paying careers. We acknowledge that our enthusiasm for clean energy faces challenges from well-funded misinformation campaigns — but by championing renewable energy in 2025, we can meet that challenge head on.
Tom Cosgrove, Chief Creative and Content Officer, EARTHDAY.ORG
The People Factor
We need equity. A transition to renewable energy will empower poorer global communities by giving them access to the one thing that we in the North tend to take for granted every single day: electricity.
3.8 billion people do not reach the Modern Energy Minimum (MEM), meaning their per capita electricity usage is under 1,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh), which is the threshold for mitigating poverty and economic growth. Everyone deserves the right to a good job, a safe home, food on the table — electricity is one of the often overlooked means of giving to them.
If that doesn’t convince you, then perhaps this will. Clean energy saves lives because air pollution, caused by the burning of fossil fuels, is linked to heart attacks, respiratory disorders, strokes and asthma. By reducing air pollution we can significantly decrease all of these serious illnesses. Women’s health is especially impacted by pollution with breast cancer, ovarian diseases and maternal health risks all associated with them and access to electricity not surprisingly, reduces infant mortality rates as well.
We hear a lot about saving lives, especially babies, but if we are going to truly champion human life, we have to talk about access to affordable, clean energy.
Kathleen Rogers, President of EARTHDAY.ORG
The Planet Factor
Our planet needs us to embrace renewables. A rapid deployment of renewable energy is essential for combating climate change because simply put, renewable energy generates electricity without producing carbon dioxide, the primary greenhouse gas. In contrast, fossil fuels are major emitters of greenhouse gasses and as a consequence the primary contributors to global warming.
Fear of Change
Change is daunting, but we must move away from our dependence on fossil fuels and embrace a sustainable future.
Kathleen Rogers, President of EARTHDAY.ORG
Very few things in life are perfect, and there are obstacles to overcome with renewable energy generation, such as mining for cadmium, copper, and silver to build solar panels and wind turbines. But the benefits of renewable energy far outweigh the negatives. Already researchers and science teams all over the planet are dedicated to finding solutions to all of these issues — the same cannot be said of fossil fuels.
The era of oil, gas and coal are coming to a close, but our need for electricity is ever growing. If not renewables — then what?
This is why Earth Day’s theme for 2025, Our Power, Our Planet, is perhaps our most important theme ever. This year we will shine a spotlight on renewable energy — for our power, our people, and our planet. Join us.
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