Record global energy demand drives CO2 emissions increase

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Global energy-related CO2 emissions increased last year as demand for energy grew by 2.3 per cent, a rise driven partly by stronger heating and cooling needs in some regions.

co2 emissions

These findings are part of the International Energy Agency’s Global Energy & CO2 Status Report  which assesses global energy consumption and energy-related CO2 emissions for 2018. It found demand for energy rising at its fastest pace this decade with natural gas accounting for 45 per cent of the rise in energy consumption with strong growth in China and the US.

Demand for all fuels increased, with fossil fuels meeting nearly 70 per cent of the growth for the second year running. Solar and wind generation grew at double-digit pace, with solar increasing by 31 per cent.

As a result, global energy-related CO2 emissions rose by 1.7 per cent to 33 Gigatonnes (Gt) in 2018. Coal use in power generation alone surpassed 10Gt, accounting for a third of total emissions, with most of it generated by a young fleet of coal power plants in Asia.

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