Where I live - we literally had a river on fire from pollution. Back in 1960s - the river literally caught fire from pollution. Cars literally got 12-16 MPG and that was normal.
Which is right around the time the EPA came in. Since then the river is clean enough to wade in. Vehicle emissions and mpg standards rose, solar panels became a thing, windmill turbines became a thing, energy efficient appliances have come out everywhere... And what did that do to change the course?
Nothing. Because it's not pollution based.