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Energy-related CO2 emissions surged by 1.1% in 2023, increasing by 410 mn tons (Mt) to a record high of 37.4 bn tons, according to a new report by the International Energy Agency (IEA) (pdf). The hike is lower than the 1.3% rise in 2022. The report attributes the drop to the rapid deployment of renewables (which together with the expansion of heat pumps and electric cars cut emissions growth threefold) coal-to-gas switching in the US, and milder weather conditions that lowered heating and cooling demand. Advanced economies however were able to reduce their emissions by 4.5% in 2023, reaching their lowest level in 50 years.
The EU contributed most to the drop: The European Union saw an emissions drop of 9%. Wind power in the EU surpassed both natural gas and coal in electricity generation in 2023, coal-based electricity production experienced a 27% decline, while natural gas-based electricity generation decreased by 15%.
Followed by the US: US emissions fell by 4.1% in 2023 due to coal-to-gas switching and the ongoing retirement of coal-fired power plants. Electricity generated from coal also declined by nearly 20%, while natural gas-based generation increased by 6%. Mild winter in the US also contributed to emissions reduction as lower temperatures compared to 2022 led to decreased electricity and fossil fuel demand. This reduction accounted for 35% of the total emissions decrease from the energy sector in the US.
The decline of coal: The share of coal in electricity generation — which accounted for more than 65% of the emissions increase in 2023 — plummeted to a historic low of 17%. Coal demand also dropped by nearly 50% since its peak in 2007. The share of natural gas in electricity generation also rose from 22% to 31% during the same period for advanced economies, while renewables’ share more than doubled from 16% to 34% of electricity generation.
But, it still contributed the most to emissions: Coal has contributed the most to the increase of global CO2 emissions in the post-pandemic era,accounting for around 70% of the increase in global emissions from energy combustion, according to the report.One of the main forces behind the rise in emissions in China last year were the increased supply of coal-fired power which rose by 6% in 2023
Shifting landscapes driven by China + India’s economic growth: The report also highlights the changing landscape of global emissions, with China and India accounting for most of the increase. China’s emissions, which account for 35% of global CO2 emissions, grew by 565 Mt in 2023, driven by its energy-intensive economic growth, a severe shortfall in hydropower production, and a rebound in road and aviation transport. China’s per capita emissions were 15% higher than those of advanced economies in 2023. India’s emissions surpassed the EU to become the third-largest source of global emissions in 2023, although its per capita emissions remain low. The spike in India’s emissions is mainly due to strong GDP growth and a weak monsoon season that increased electricity demand and reduced hydropower output.
Without the global decline in hydropower, emissions from the global electricity sector would have fallen, according to the study. The global generation of hydropower saw a record decline in 2023 on the back of severe and prolonged droughts around the world — exacerbated by the influence of El Niño phenomena — that impacted major hydropower regions. If the availability of the hydropower plant fleet last year were equivalent to 2022 levels, an additional 200 TWh of electricity would have been generated globally, and electricity sector emissions would have fallen globally in 2023, instead of rising moderately, the report concluded.
ALSO-Nuclear power additions fell last year: As of early 2024, there are 58 nuclear reactors under construction worldwide with a total capacity of more than 60 GW, according to a new report (pdf) by the IEA — a first in a monthly series that aims to provide an in-depth overview of clean energy technology deployment for 2023. Belarus, China, Korea, Slovak Republic, and the United States each began operating one nuclear reactor last year, adding a total capacity of 5.5 GW, 30% less than in 2022. Globally, 28 reactors with a combined capacity of 30.5 GW started operating in the past five years, cutting over 160 Mt of CO2 emissions annually.
