Global energy-related CO2 emissions increased by 1.1% in 2023 to reach a record level, due in particular to low hydroelectric production caused by droughts and Chinese growth, the International Agency said on Friday. of energy (IEA).
These energy emissions, which represent around 90% of the carbon dioxide emitted by humans, increased by 410 million tonnes to reach 37.4 billion tonnes last year, according to this reference report from the AIE, based in Paris. The trend, however, appears less bad than the previous year, since emissions increased by 490 million tonnes in 2022.
A record decline in hydroelectric production
The 2023 results were weighed down by a record decline in global hydroelectric production linked to the severe and prolonged droughts which affected several regions of the world. This effect alone resulted in an increase in emissions of around 170 million tonnes: the countries concerned (China, Canada, Mexico, etc.) had in fact resorted instead to other means of production of electricity polluting, such as fuel oil or coal.
China, which added 565 million tonnes of CO2 to the global balance, for its part continued its emissions-rich economic growth, initiated after the Covid-19 crisis. A trend contrary to that of advanced economies, which have seen their emissions record a record drop despite the progression of their GDP, with in particular the use of coal at its lowest level since the early 1900s.
The 2023 figures are not going in the right direction, while greenhouse gas emissions, all sectors combined, must fall by 43% by 2030 compared to 2019 to hope to meet the 1.5° limit. C, set by the Paris agreement, according to the IPCC. These global emissions are also expected to peak by 2025.
The important contribution of “clean” energies
But the IEA wishes to emphasize the important contribution of “clean” energies, including renewables. “The transition to clean energy is continuing rapidly and curbing emissions – even with global energy demand increasing faster in 2023 than in 2022,” underlines IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol.
Between 2019 and 2023, energy-related emissions increased by some 900 million tonnes. But, underlines the IEA, this figure would have been three times higher without the deployment of five key technologies: solar, wind, nuclear, heat pumps and electric cars.
The agency is also publishing a separate report on Friday dedicated specifically to the clean energy market, reporting a sharp increase in solar and wind power. But this deployment has remained “too concentrated in advanced economies and China”, while the rest of the world lags behind.
“We need much greater efforts to enable emerging and developing economies to increase their investments in clean energy,” emphasized Fatih Birol once again.