Global CO2 emissions from power generation flatten out -IEA
- by Jake Bell
- in Research
- — Feb 12, 2020
Despite media reports predicting the contrary, USA energy-related carbon dioxide emissions fell 2.9 percent a year ago, according to a report published Tuesday.
After two years of growth, global emissions remained unchanged at 33 gigatons in 2019, even as the world economy grew by 2.9 percent.
"This welcome halt in emissions growth is grounds for optimism that we can tackle the climate challenge this decade", Birol said. This was largely offset by increases in emissions from oil and natural gas, however. Wind and solar played bigger roles, more countries switched from coal to natural gas, and there were higher rates of nuclear power generation. "It is evidence that clean energy transitions are underway - and it's also a signal that we have the opportunity to meaningfully move the needle on emissions through more ambitious policies and investments".
United Nations climate scientists say that global greenhouse emissions would need to fall by 7.6% every year between now and 2030 to stop temperatures rising to levels that will cause severe climate change in the coming decades.
More news: Virtual reality reunites mother with her dead daughterThe country with the largest decrease in energy-related Carbon dioxide emissions was the United States, which saw a decline of 2.9% to 4.8 gigatons due to decommissioning of coal-fired power plants and lower electricity demand.
Despite the Trump administration withdrawing the United States from the United Nations' Paris climate accord, the worldwide commitment to curb emissions and prevent global warming, the us had the largest decline in Carbon dioxide emissions in a single country, falling 140 million tons, or 2.9%. U.S. energy-related emissions are now down nearly one gigatonne from their peak in 2000, it added.
Almost 80 percent of that increase came from Asia, despite slowing growth in major emitters China and India.
"We now need to work hard to make sure that 2019 is remembered as a definitive peak in global emissions, not just another pause in growth", he said in a statement.
More news: Meet T-Rex’s older cousin: The Reaper of DeathThe IEA will publish a World Energy Outlook Special Report in June that will map out how to cut global energy-related carbon emissions by one-third by 2030 and put the world "on track" for longer-term climate goals.
That trend, alongside weaker power demand and growing low carbon power capacity, led to overall emissions from the energy sector in advanced economies falling "to levels last seen in the 1980s", helping to offset continued emissions growth elsewhere, the IEA said.
Similarly, despite Indian Prime Minister Nardendra Modi's approval of dozens of new coal mines, India's coal-fired electricity generation fell for the first time since 1973 as renewable energy output surged.
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