Energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions hit a record high in 2023. However, growth has slowed compared to previous years thanks to the continued development of clean technologies, AFP reported.
"CO2 emissions from energy grew by 1.1% in 2023, increasing by 410 million tonnes to a record 37.4 billion tonnes, slowing from growth of 490 million tonnes in 2022," it said The International Energy Agency (IEA) in its annual emissions update.
The IEA said that without technologies such as solar panels, wind turbines, nuclear power and electric cars, the global increase in energy-related CO2 emissions over the past 5 years would have been three times greater than the recorded 900 million tonnes.
More than 40% of last year's increase in carbon emissions from the energy sector was the result of severe droughts in China, the United States, India and other countries, which reduced hydropower generation and forced utilities to turn to fossil fuels.
Without the water shortage, global carbon emissions from energy production alone would have declined last year.
China and India's energy carbon emissions increased in 2023, while advanced economies saw record declines even as their economies grew. Their emissions fell to a 50-year low as demand for coal fell to levels not seen since the early 1900s.
For the first time last year, at least half of the energy produced in advanced economies came from low-emissions sources such as renewables and nuclear power.
Although China's emissions are rising, in 2023 it added as much solar power capacity as the entire world in 2022/BGNES
