Global CO2 emissions are projected to rise a low 0.6% in 2019 due to robust growth in natural gas and oil use, and despite a decline in coal consumption. Natural gas has been the dominant driver of global emissions since 2012.
Global CO2 emissions are on track to rise more than 2% in 2018 on the back of renewed growth in coal use, and continued growth in oil and gas use, according to data released on 5 December.
Aerosols have a strong influence on the present climate, but this influence will likely be reduced over the coming decades as air pollution measures are implemented around the world, writes Bjørn Hallvard Samset in a commentary in Science.
Energy efficiency improvement will not dramatically change global energy use and related emissions. However, it might promote economic growth.
Growth in Chinese carbon dioxide emissions have made an incredible turnaround in the last few years. Have emissions peaked? Is it because of the rapid growth in renewables and concerns about air pollution? Or do analysts just have short memories?
While Chinese coal consumption is trending down, it is too early to conclude that Chinese carbon dioxide emissions have fallen in 2014 or 2015. An article published in Nature Climate Change sheds light on uncertainties and revisions in official Chinese energy statistics, and explains why headlines about falling emissions may be misinterpreting the numbers.