Glen Peters

How are net zero emissions defined? It matters. It is the difference between either halting or continuing global warming, writes senior researcher Glen Peters in this blog about a new study published in Nature. 

Global fossil co₂ emissions are expected to grow 0.8% in 2024, despite predictions of peak emissions. The positive progress in many countries and clean technologies is offset by persistent fossil fuel use. 

According to a new report by the Global Carbon Project, emissions of nitrous oxide – a greenhouse gas about 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide – continued unabated between 1980 and 2020.

Global fossil co₂ emissions are expected to grow 1.1% in 2023 despite record progress in clean energy. A renewed focus on limiting the use of coal, oil, and gas is needed. 

How are global emissions projected to develop in the years to come? To reach pathways consistent with the goals in the Paris Agreement, global CO₂ emissions should be falling by around five percent this year.

Human-caused global warming has continued to increase at an “unprecedented rate” since the last major assessment of the climate system published two years ago, say 50 leading scientists in a new paper in the journal Earth System Science Data. 

Global fossil co₂ emissions are expected to grow 1.0% in 2022 as the COVID recovery continues amidst turmoil in energy markets. Growth in oil use, particularly aviation, and coal use are behind most of the increase in 2022. 

The Global Carbon Project was formed in 2001 to help the international science community to establish a common, mutually agreed knowledge base that supports policy debate and action to slow the rate of increase of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Tackling methane emissions now is a must in order to have a chance of limiting global warming to 1.5°C. The Methane Pledge is an international political initiative to reduce methane emissions 30% by 2030, but how likely is this and where would these reductions come from?

Researchers from CICERO are contributing to the world's most prominent assessment of climate knowledge in areas such as regional impact, investment and finance, political science, climate scenarios and atmospheric sciences.

During the recent Glasgow Climate Conference (COP26) there was a lot of focus on the climate outcomes of new climate policy pledges. A new analysis shows that these outcomes are more uncertain then often assumed.

A relatively unknown greenhouse gas plays an important role in climate and ozone depletion, and its importance will continue to increase to meet the growing demand for food, fibre, and energy.

A headline result from the IPCC Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C was that global co₂ emissions need to decline by 45% from 2010 levels by 2030. Is this possible while still retaining fairness in mitigation?

COMMENTARY: A new paper suggests a rather significant upward revision of the carbon budget for 1.5°C. This is a potential game changer, but it is too early to reformulate mitigation plans.

COMMENTARY: Carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels and industry flattened in the last few years, and many argue we are now decoupling emissions from economic growth. Is this a success story or an unfortunate use of the concept?

Keeping global warming below 2°C is hard, but 2.5°C is a walk in the park!

COMMENTARY: The Paris Agreement calls to hold the increase in the global average temperature to “well below 2°C”. What on earth does that mean?