Carbon emissions are now growing faster than before the pandemic

When the world was created covid-19 pandemic lockdownsmany countries promised it Rebuild their economies in a climate-friendly wayamid hopes that recovery efforts could accelerate the global journey to net zero emissions. Actually, the opposite has happened.

Instead of a “green recovery,” greenhouse gas emissions are growing much faster now than in the decade before the global pandemic. Emissions rose 1.3 percent to 57.1 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2023. That’s a much faster annual growth rate than in the 2010-2019 decade, when emissions grew by an average of 0.8 percent per year. In fact, global greenhouse gas emissions are now below the peak of 59.1 gigatons recorded in 2019.

All sources of greenhouse gas emissions, except land use, are increasing, a the report From the United Nations World Environment Program (UNEP), as economies continued to recover from covid-19. Emissions from road transport, leaks from oil and gas infrastructure, pipelines and industrial emissions all grew rapidly in 2023, UNEP said, while emissions from aviation grew by 19.5%.

Rising emissions mean the world’s chance of avoiding catastrophic climate change is shrinking. Inger Anderson UNEP said in a statement. “The climate crisis has arrived,” he said. “I am asking all nations: no more hot air, please.”

Since 2015, nations have collectively pledged to limit warming to as little as 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, but current national targets do not come close to meeting that goal. Based on countries’ current commitments, the world is on track to warm between 2.6°C and 2.8°C, almost unchanged from 2022.

Countries are expected to submit new national climate plans by February, ahead of the COP30 climate conference in Brazil in November. The plans should outline how countries will reduce emissions between now and 2035.

Anderson said it was imperative that countries come to the table with bolder plans to reduce emissions, which must begin immediately. The 1.5°C target is still technically feasible, he added, but it is it will become more and more unlikely. “Even if the world exceeds 1.5°C, and the chances of that happening are increasing every day, we must continue to strive for a sustainable, prosperous zero,” said Anderson.