Despite efforts to reduce fossil fuel use and reach climate goals, major fossil fuel-producing countries are moving ahead with plans to increase the extraction of coal, oil, and gas. These are actions that threaten to make the 1.5°C warming limit increasingly unachievable. Countries leading this initiative are India, Russia, Saudi Arabia, China, and the U.S. India’s coal production is expected to double by 2030, and similarly, Russia is boosting the extraction of oil, coal, and gas by between 20% and 50%. Meanwhile, many countries with strong climate pledges are failing to meet their extraction plans. Only a few countries, such as the UK, Australia, and Norway, are on track to achieve their climate targets. The implications of this failure are severe. Overproduction erodes the remaining global carbon budget, making the ambitious targets of the Paris climate agreement increasingly unlikely to be met. Delays in transitioning to renewables, along with the expansion of traditional energy sources, also risk setting up the future with infrastructure that will only contribute to our climate problems. While all of this is discouraging, there are things that can be done at different levels to push back. At the national level, more investments in renewable energy, such as expanding solar, wind, and hydro sources of energy, will help the transition away from fossil fuels. Some things can be done at the individual level. Installing efficient lighting and appliances can help reduce the amount of energy used on a daily basis. Ethan Nguyen, a freshman at Corona del Mar High School, declares, “Whenever I go to the beach, I always try to pick up trash whenever I see it. It’s about the little things that can maybe make a difference.” Beckett Porter, a freshman at Corona del Mar High School, states, “I try to do whatever I can to limit my impact on the environment.” Voting and holding elected officials accountable is also crucial in driving systemic change. Currently, the future seems dire; however, if everyone can come together and force change at every level, the future can look brighter.