Global CO2 emissions are projected to reach a record 41.6 billion metric tons in 2024, driven by fossil fuel combustion and deforestation, according to the Global Carbon Budget report at COP29. With emissions rising, the 1.5°C climate target remains at risk.
BAKU, Nov 13 (Reuters) - Global carbon dioxide emissions, including those from burning fossil fuels, are set to hit a record high this year, pulling the world further off course from averting more destructive climate extremes, scientists said on Wednesday.
The Global Carbon Budget report, published during the U.N.'s COP29 climate summit in Azerbaijan, said global CO2 emissions are set to total 41.6 billion metric tons in 2024, up from 40.6 billion tons last year.
The bulk of these emissions are from burning coal, oil and gas. Those emissions would total 37.4 billion tons in 2024, up by 0.8% in 2023, the report said.
The rest are from land use, a category that includes deforestation and forest fires. The report by more than 80 institutions was led by the University of Exeter in Britain.
"We don't see a sign of fossil fuel emissions peaking in 2024," said lead author Pierre Friedlingstein, a climate scientist at the University of Exeter.
Without immediate and steep emissions cuts worldwide, "we will just go straight into the 1.5C target, we'll just pass it and continue," he said.
Countries agreed under the 2015 Paris Agreement to try to stop global temperatures rising more than 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) to avoid climate change's worst impacts.
This would require steep emissions cuts every year from now until 2030 and beyond.
Instead, fossil fuel emissions have climbed over the last decade. Land use emissions had declined in this period - until this year, when a severe drought in the Amazon caused forest fires, driving up annual land use emissions by 13.5% to 4.2 billion tons.
Some scientists have said such slow progress means the 1.5C aim can no longer realistically be met.
This year's emissions data showed evidence of some countries rapidly expanding renewable energy and electric cars, the authors said.
Progress, however, was sharply uneven - with rich industrialised nations' emissions decreasing, and emerging economies' emissions still rising.
Tensions between nations erupted on Tuesday at COP29 over who should lead the world's transition away from fossil fuels - which produce around 80% of global energy.
COP29 host Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev accused Western countries of hypocrisy for lecturing others while still being major consumers and producers of fossil fuels.
Emissions in the U.S., the world's top oil and gas producer and consumer, are expected to decrease by 0.6% this year, while European Union emissions are set to fall by 3.8%.
Meanwhile, India's emissions will rise by 4.6% this year, driven by soaring power demand fuelled by economic growth.
Emissions in China, today the world's biggest emitter and second-largest oil consumer, are set to marginally increase by 0.2%. The authors said China's emissions from oil use have likely peaked, as electric vehicles gain market share.
Emissions from international aviation and shipping are also expected to jump by 7.8% this year, as air travel continues to recover from a drop in demand during the COVID-19 pandemic.
President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met ahead of Pope Francis' funeral at the Vatican, according to sources.
Indian and Pakistani troops exchanged gunfire for a second consecutive day on Saturday, as relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbors deteriorated following a deadly attack on tourists in India’s Kashmir region.
President Donald Trump has expressed scepticism over Vladimir Putin’s willingness to end the war in Ukraine, suggesting that peace may not be achievable soon, despite earlier comments indicating proximity to a deal.
The Syrian Ministry of Defense on Thursday accused Hezbollah militias of firing artillery shells from Lebanese territory toward Syrian army positions in the al-Qusayr area west of Homs.
Saudi Arabia on Friday unveiled its annual report highlighting the Kingdom’s advancements toward achieving the ambitious goals of Vision 2030 during the year 2024.
Indian and Pakistani troops exchanged gunfire for a second consecutive day on Saturday, as relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbors deteriorated following a deadly attack on tourists in India’s Kashmir region.
President Donald Trump has expressed scepticism over Vladimir Putin’s willingness to end the war in Ukraine, suggesting that peace may not be achievable soon, despite earlier comments indicating proximity to a deal.
The Syrian Ministry of Defense on Thursday accused Hezbollah militias of firing artillery shells from Lebanese territory toward Syrian army positions in the al-Qusayr area west of Homs.
A massive explosion at Shahid Rajaee Port in southern Iran on Saturday killed at least four people and injured nearly 600 others, officials said, prompting an urgent government investigation.
Saudi Arabia on Friday unveiled its annual report highlighting the Kingdom’s advancements toward achieving the ambitious goals of Vision 2030 during the year 2024.
China has rolled out the world’s first 10-gigabit (10G) fixed broadband network in Xiong'an New Area, promising ultra-fast speeds and low latency through cutting-edge optical infrastructure.
Pope Francis's relationship with Azerbaijan has evolved significantly over the years, characterized by diplomatic exchanges, promotion of religious tolerance, and peace advocacy in the Caucasus region.
Russia launched a major missile and drone assault on Kyiv overnight on April 24, killing at least twelve people and injuring 90, including children and a pregnant woman, according to Mayor Vitali Klitschko.
China’s pivot away from U.S. liquefied petroleum gas under new tariffs is shaking global energy flows, slashing demand, and fuelling a scramble for alternatives across Asia, with Middle Eastern suppliers and rival buyers seizing the moment.
A deadly attack targeting tourists in India’s Jammu and Kashmir territory has left at least 20 feared dead, marking the deadliest incident against civilians in the region for years, according to security sources.
Leaders from around the world, including the President of the EU Commission Ursula von der Leyen, will come together today to address the global challenges and opportunities of speeding up the clean energy transition.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on world leaders to urgently step up climate efforts ahead of COP30, stressing that the planet faces deepening threats from worsening environmental disasters.
Oman, the Netherlands, and Germany have signed an agreement to establish the world’s first liquid green hydrogen import corridor, linking Oman’s Duqm port with Amsterdam and Duisburg. The project aims to supply Europe with renewable hydrogen, supporting clean energy goals.
The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) reports that March 2025 was the second-warmest globally and the warmest on record in Europe, signaling ongoing changes in global climate trends.
China has unveiled an ambitious expansion of its renewable energy programme, pledging major investment in solar and wind infrastructure to boost clean energy to 40% of its power mix by 2030—marking a decisive shift toward grid integration and nationwide deployment.
Indian and Pakistani troops exchanged gunfire for a second consecutive day on Saturday, as relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbors deteriorated following a deadly attack on tourists in India’s Kashmir region.
President Donald Trump has expressed scepticism over Vladimir Putin’s willingness to end the war in Ukraine, suggesting that peace may not be achievable soon, despite earlier comments indicating proximity to a deal.
The Syrian Ministry of Defense on Thursday accused Hezbollah militias of firing artillery shells from Lebanese territory toward Syrian army positions in the al-Qusayr area west of Homs.
A massive explosion at Shahid Rajaee Port in southern Iran on Saturday killed at least four people and injured nearly 600 others, officials said, prompting an urgent government investigation.
Saudi Arabia on Friday unveiled its annual report highlighting the Kingdom’s advancements toward achieving the ambitious goals of Vision 2030 during the year 2024.
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