Global fossil fuel emissions rise again, UN report warns of missed climate targets
The UN Environment Programme’s Emissions Gap Report shows worldwide oil, gas and coal emissions increased last year, pushing the world toward a 2.1-2.8°C temperature rise.
The United Nations Environment Programme released its annual Emissions Gap Report, revealing that emissions from oil, gas and coal rose globally last year, erasing earlier gains. While the rate of growth has slowed, the report describes the situation as “sobering” and says the window to avoid a temperature overshoot is effectively closed. To keep warming below 1.5°C, the world would need to cut emissions three times faster than current pledges, achieving an 18% reduction by 2030 and 45% by 2035, plus remove 320 gigatonnes of carbon—an amount equivalent to eight years of global emissions.
Technologies for such large-scale carbon capture are still in early stages and unproven. The United States posted the largest emissions increase, driven by a resurgence in coal use, and Turkey recorded the second-largest rise ahead of hosting COP31. UN Secretary-General António Guterres stressed that overshoot can still be limited, while UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen urged nations to pursue rapid, deep cuts to avert worsening floods, heatwaves and wildfires.
How this was covered
- Left-leaning coverage is the most divided on this story
- Coverage peaked at 15 outlets in a single hour
Why it matters
Rising fossil-fuel emissions threaten to lock in dangerous warming, affecting weather, ecosystems and economies worldwide.
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