2025 slingshot is a hypothetical scenario in which the world’s population rapidly transitions to renewable energy sources, leading to a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and avoiding the worst effects of climate change.
The term was first used by Amory Lovins, cofounder of the Rocky Mountain Institute, in a 2011 article in The New York Times. Lovins argued that a rapid transition to renewable energy is possible and necessary to avoid catastrophic climate change. He proposed a “2025 slingshot” as a way to accelerate the transition to renewable energy by investing heavily in research and development and creating policies to support renewable energy development.
