Global energy sector CO2 emissions hit a record high last year, contradicting Paris pledges and highlighting the “worst ever” impacts of climate change, a major study warned on Monday, June 26. The Energy Institute, a UK-based global industry body, has published key findings from its Statistical Review of World Energy, conducted with consultants Kearney and KPMG.
“Carbon dioxide emissions from energy use, industrial processes, combustion, and methane continue to rise to 0.8% of new growth by 2022,” read the study. (https://hopeclinical.com) The annual review is usually published by energy major BP but has been handed over to the institute.
The review found that primary energy consumption rose by around 1% last year since 2021 and was up almost 3% from pre-COVID levels in 2019. Despite the strong performance of renewables, fossil fuels still dominate, accounting for 82% of consumption. Meanwhile, wind and solar power reached a record 12% of total electricity generation, helped by the largest-ever capacity increases in both.
President of the Energy Institute, Juliet Davenport, warned that the industry is moving in the “opposite direction” from the goals of the Paris Agreement. “2022 saw some of the worst impacts of climate change – devastating floods affecting millions in Pakistan, record heat events across Europe and North America – yet we should look for positive news about the energy transition in this new data,” Davenport said.
“Despite the stronger wind and solar growth in the power sector, overall global energy-related greenhouse gas emissions are rising again. “We are still heading in the opposite direction to that required by the Paris Agreement”.
Under the 2015 Paris Agreement, countries pledged to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by mid-century, to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels.
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Richard Forrest, chairman of Kearney’s Transition Institute, added that the surge in greenhouse gas emissions further reinforces “the need for urgent action to get the world on track to meet the Paris targets”. He noted 2022 is a “turbulent year” that has energy security at the top of the agenda due to major producer Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and rising post-pandemic demand.
Source: channelnewsasia, phys.org
