Global levels of planet-heating pollution from fossil fuels are set to reach record highs this year, according to new projections, casting a shadow over the ongoing COP29 UN climate summit, CNN reports.
The news comes as the world grapples with increasingly severe climate impacts, including record-breaking heat, devastating hurricanes, and widespread droughts.
A report released by the Global Carbon Project reveals that fossil fuel pollution is projected to hit 37.4 billion metric tons in 2024, marking a 0.8% increase from the previous year. This upward trend extends to all fossil fuels, including coal, oil, and gas.
“The impacts of climate change are becoming increasingly dramatic, yet we still see no sign that burning of fossil fuels has peaked,” said Pierre Friedlingstein, a climate professor at the University of Exeter and lead author of the study. “Time is running out.”
While fossil fuels are the primary source of greenhouse gas emissions, land-use changes, including deforestation, are also contributing to the problem. These emissions are expected to rise further in 2024, fueled by severe droughts and wildfires.
Overall, global climate pollution is projected to reach 41.6 billion metric tons this year, a significant jump from 40.6 billion metric tons in 2023.
The increase, though seemingly small, puts the world significantly off track in its efforts to address the climate crisis. The UN’s October report had suggested that global carbon emissions were plateauing and might even decline this year. However, these projections highlight the urgency of immediate and drastic action.
To limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, a target agreed upon by countries in the Paris climate agreement, fossil fuel pollution needs to be halved within the next decade. However, the current trajectory suggests that the 1.5-degree threshold could be breached consistently within six years.
“World leaders meeting at COP29 must bring about rapid and deep cuts to fossil fuel emissions,” stressed Friedlingstein.
While some companies and governments are promoting carbon removal technologies as a solution, the report emphasizes their current limitations. These technologies are currently removing only a minuscule fraction of the carbon pollution generated by fossil fuels.
