Each year on 22 April, Earth Day brings together communities around the world to raise awareness and take action for the planet. In 2025, Earth Day marks its 55th anniversary with a global call to accelerate the transition to renewable energy. Under the theme 'Our Power, Our Planet', EARTHDAY.ORG is encouraging individuals, businesses, and governments to support the expansion of clean energy sources and end reliance on fossil fuels.

In this blog, we explore some of the key themes of Earth Day 2025 including the call to triple renewable energy generation by 2030, the benefits of clean energy, the role of grassroots action, and the opportunities a shift to renewables can bring to global communities. We also look at how Australia is progressing its national energy transition, and Victoria’s vision for a renewable future.

A Global Call to Expand Clean Energy

EARTHDAY.ORG is urging its supporters – more than one billion people in 192 countries – to back a worldwide effort to triple the generation of renewable electricity by 2030. This target reflects a growing recognition of the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and limit the impacts of climate change. The aim is to replace fossil fuels with sources such as solar, wind, tidal, geothermal, and hydro energy. This transition is seen as essential to protecting ecosystems, improving public health, and ensuring energy equity across nations.

The Momentum Behind Renewables

The shift to renewables is already underway. In the United States, 25% of electricity generated in the first half of 2023 came from renewable sources. Some forecasts suggest that by the 2030s, solar energy will be the leading source of electricity generation globally.

Many countries have made significant progress. Forty-nine nations, including Canada, Brazil, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark, already produce more than half their electricity from renewables. Iceland generates almost all of its electricity this way. According to the CSIRO, “…South Australia has at times seen electricity generated by renewables meet 100 per cent of demand!” These examples demonstrate the feasibility of large-scale clean energy adoption using current technologies, including storage solutions such as batteries and fuel cells.

Powering People Through Local Action

Grassroots movements have long driven social and environmental progress. In 1970, 20 million people participated in the first Earth Day, which contributed to the creation of major environmental protections. The organisers of Earth Day 2025 are calling on individuals to speak with local decision-makers – from mayors and employers to community leaders and members of parliament – about the benefits of transitioning to renewable energy.

This people-led momentum is considered key to influencing energy policy, investment, and infrastructure. As Earth Day leaders have stated, the path to a cleaner future lies not only in technology but in widespread public engagement.

Addressing Inequality and Supporting Global Health

Access to energy remains uneven. More than three billion people worldwide do not reach the Modern Energy Minimum – defined as 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity use per person per year. This threshold is linked to essential services such as lighting, refrigeration, and communication, and is considered necessary for reducing poverty and improving wellbeing.

Renewables can play a role in addressing this imbalance. Clean energy supports better health outcomes by lowering air pollution and reducing the effects of climate-related events such as heatwaves and floods. At a population level, this can reduce the burden of respiratory and cardiovascular conditions.

Australia’s Energy Transformation

Australia is undergoing a major shift in how electricity is generated, with nearly 40% of electricity already coming from renewable sources. The national target is to lift this to 82% by 2030, alongside a longer-term goal of net zero emissions by 2050. This includes phasing out coal-fired generation, expanding wind and solar projects, and improving the electricity grid to manage supply and demand.

Victoria is contributing to this national effort through a coordinated plan to scale up renewable generation, improve energy storage, and manage the shift away from coal. By 2035, electricity demand is expected to increase by more than 50%, with the state aiming to replace emissions-intensive power with 11.4 gigawatts of new renewables, including offshore wind. The plan also supports households to adopt solar, reduce gas use, and improve energy efficiency – particularly for renters and lower-income groups. Investment in training, local supply chains, and regional communities is central to ensuring the benefits of the energy transition are shared.

Conclusion

Earth Day 2025 is a global reminder that the shift to renewable energy is not only possible but already underway. The theme Our Power, Our Planet invites us all to think about our energy choices – and how those choices can contribute to a more sustainable and equitable future. Whether through advocacy, local engagement, or household-level action, the path forward includes everyone.

Resources

• Clean Energy Australia Report 2024 (Clean Energy Council)
• Earth Day 2025 theme
• Earth Day 2025 events map (global, including Australia)
• Victoria’s electricity future (Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action)

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CourtHeath acknowledges the Traditional Aboriginal Owners of Country throughout Victoria and pays respect to Elders past and present, and to the ongoing living culture of Aboriginal people.

A participant in the UN Global Compact, CourtHeath seeks to raise awareness about the sustainable development goals and the principles of the Global Compact with business and government organisations in Victoria.

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Image: Shutterstock

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