BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4. Coal has been the major contributor to the rise in global CO2 emissions since the pandemic, Trend reports.
According to research made by the International Energy Agency (IEA), global emissions from energy combustion have gone up by about 850 million tons since 2019, with coal emissions growing by 900 million tons.
Gas emissions increased moderately, while oil emissions remained slightly below 2019 level. At the same time, coal was responsible for around 70 percent of the global emissions increase in 2023 (up by 270 million tons).
As per the IEA estimations, China and India experienced significant rises in coal combustion emissions, partially offset by declines in advanced economies. Oil emissions increased globally by around 95 million tons due to reopenings in China and the global aviation sector. Natural gas emissions saw only a marginal increase at the global level.
Transport saw the biggest rise in emissions, going up by almost 240 million tons globally, the agency noted. The power sector contributed the second-largest increase, showing a significant regional difference with emissions dropping in advanced economies but soaring in emerging market and developing economies. Industrial emissions increased slightly, as the combination of a moderately weaker industrial output, efficiency improvements, and fuel switching in advanced economies couldn't offset the emissions rise from industrial development in emerging markets. Meanwhile, the only sector with a global decrease in emissions was buildings, mainly due to milder temperatures in 2023.