The Trump administration hopes its plan will support rural communities that rely on coal industry jobs. ACE gives states more authority to set emissions reductions standards and claims it will promote investment in “clean coal.” Like Obama’s plan, ACE aims to cut carbon pollution from the power sector by around 30 percent from 2005 levels, but those emissions have already declined 28 percent since 2005.

The Obama administration’s plan was stalled in court — and Trump later signed an executive order to dismantle it. The Trump administration’s plan could go into effect in 30 days, but it will likely face similar legal challenges before it’s implemented. Already, New York State Attorney General Letitia James’ office tweeted that it intends to sue the EPA over the plan, and The New York Times expects a “flurry of legal challenges.”

Even if ACE can clear those legal hurdles, it’s not clear if Trump’s efforts will provide enough of a lifeline to keep the remaining coal-fired plants open. By the Sierra Club’s count, 52 plants have either shut down or announced plans to shut down since Trump was elected. Most close because electricity from natural gas and renewable energy sources is less expensive to produce. Plus, philanthropists like Michael Bloomberg have committed millions to closing the remaining coal-fired power plants. So, even with a plan to keep wheezing coal facilities open longer, the Trump administration may not succeed.

While these figures represent a very marginal difference, additional findings from FERC suggest that the gap is likely to widen in the coming months. The report notes that the US has been adding, on average, one percentage point to its renewable energy capacity every year, and predicts that by 2022 the technology will account for nearly a quarter of America’s total available installed generating capacity. Meanwhile, the nation’s appetite for coal continues to decline, with consumption dropping 39 percent from its peak in 2008, to its lowest level in 40 years.

Bloomberg plans to bypass Washington, where the Trump Administration is both committed to coal power and denying warnings from climate scientists. “We’re in a race against time with climate change, and yet there is virtually no hope of bold federal action on this issue for at least another two years,” Bloomberg reportedly said in a statement. “Mother Nature is not waiting on our political calendar, and neither can we.”

In addition to targeting the remaining 241 coal plants in the US, the funding will also go towards promoting wind, solar and other renewable power. It will also help elect local lawmakers who prioritize clean energy, The New York Times says.

While renewables are on the rise, so is the demand for fossil fuels — though the US coal industry saw little growth in recent years. At the same time, the UN says climate change is much worse than first thought, and we could see a massive crisis starting in 2040. As long as President Trump clings to coal and the administration works to cut funding for renewable energy, it might be up to private investors to lead the way toward reform.

According to IRENA, 171GW of renewable energy was added to the global mix in 2018, marking an annual increase of 7.9 percent, and accounting for two-thirds of new power generation capacity altogether. Hydropower takes the largest share with 1,172GW worldwide, followed by wind at 564GW and solar with 480GW, although solar saw the largest growth in 2018.

However, despite this growth — which IRENA says “continues the remarkable trend of the last five years” — it appears that our appetite for fossil fuels hasn’t subsided. In fact, it’s increased. As the IEA report demonstrates, natural gas emerged as the planet’s fuel of choice in 2018, posting the biggest gains and accounting for 45 percent of the rise in overall energy consumption. Add coal to the mix, and fossil fuels accounted for nearly 70 percent of the additional growth for the second year running. This all adds up to a 1.7 percent rise in CO2 emissions, which reached 33 Gigatonnes in 2018.

The IEA’s executive director, Dr Fatih Birol, noted that 2018 marked another “golden year” for gas, and said that action is desperately needed to mitigate devastating climate damage. “Despite major growth in renewables, global emissions are still rising, demonstrating once again that more urgent action is needed on all fronts — developing all clean energy solutions, curbing emissions, improving efficiency, and spurring investments and innovation, including in carbon capture, utilization and storage,” she said.