Energy, global CO2 emissions record - Report: Pollution in this sector increased for the fourth consecutive year
Global carbon dioxide emissions from the energy sector hit a record high for the fourth consecutive year last year. Fossil fuel use continued to rise even as renewable energy reached a record high, according to the Energy Institute.
The report's figures highlight the difficulties the global economy is having in weaning itself off fossil fuels, at a time when conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East are adding to concerns about security of supply.
Last year was the hottest year ever recorded, with global temperatures exceeding 1.5 C above the pre-industrial era for the first time.
The world saw a 2% annual increase in total energy supply in 2024, with all energy sources such as oil, gas, coal, nuclear, hydroelectric and renewables recording growth. The last time this happened was in 2006, the report said.
This led to carbon emissions increasing by about 1% in 2024 and exceeding the record level set a year earlier of 40.8 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.
Of all global fossil fuels, natural gas saw the largest increase in production, expanding by 2.5%. Meanwhile, coal grew by 1.2, remaining the largest source of generation globally, while oil growth was below 1%.
Wind and solar power expanded by 16% in 2024, nine times faster than total energy demand, the report showed.
Analysts tracking progress have said the world is not on track to meet the global target of tripling renewable energy capacity by 2030, despite record additions.
"COP28 set a bold vision to triple global renewables by 2030, but progress is proving uneven and despite the rapid growth we have seen globally, we are still not on pace," they explained.
COP28 was the United Nations Climate Change Conference that took place in Dubai in 2023. There, countries signed a pact to move away from fossil fuels in energy systems, with the goal of net zero emissions by 2050.
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