Author: Chicago Energy

Illinois policymakers have been working to replace closing coal plants with renewable energy sources, particularly wind and solar power. However, this transition didn’t unfold as planned in 2023. Instead, natural gas, another fossil fuel, filled the gap. Despite ongoing efforts to move away from fossil fuels, electricity production from renewables declined in Illinois and surrounding Midwest states last year. This drop occurred even as they continued to push for renewable energy sources like wind and solar to replace coal and natural gas. A Surprising Setback for Wind Energy In 2023, wind power, which is Illinois’ primary source of renewable energy,…

Springfield, IL – Illinois has taken a bold step toward climate literacy by becoming the fifth state to mandate climate change education in public schools. On Friday, Governor JB Pritzker signed a landmark bill requiring that starting in 2026, all public school students in Illinois will receive instruction on climate change and its impact on communities, as well as solutions to address the growing crisis. Led by State Senator Adriane Johnson and State Representative Janet Yang Rohr, the new law emphasizes teaching the environmental and ecological effects of climate change and equips students with tools to understand and combat it.…

In a few weeks, voters will once again have the opportunity to elect leaders at both local and federal levels who will influence the nation’s approach to climate change. In Illinois, 74% of the population believes global warming is real, a figure that closely mirrors the Chicago metro area. However, in Cook County, the percentage is even higher at 80%. These insights come from Yale University’s Climate Opinion Maps, which provide a snapshot of regional views on climate change by analyzing national survey data. The Yale data also reveals that across Illinois, the Chicago Metro area, and Cook County: Illinois’…