Global carbon emissions inch higher despite climate concerns

Global carbon emissions from fossil fuel use rose 0.8% this year, driven largely by China and India, while the United States and Europe reported modest reductions, scientists say.

Seth Borenstein reports for The Associated Press.

In short:

• Global carbon emissions are on track to reach 41.2 billion tons in 2024, increasing slightly from last year.
• China's emissions rose by 0.2%, and India saw a 4.6% jump, while emissions in the U.S. and EU declined by 0.6% and 3.8%, respectively.
• Climate scientists warn that current emission trends could exceed the 1.5°C warming threshold within six years if fossil fuel use continues at this pace.

Key quote:

“This is a needed reminder of the urgency with which we need to address the cause of the climate crisis.”

— Mohamed Adow, founder of PowerShift Africa

Why this matters:

Despite modest emission reductions in some countries, global reliance on fossil fuels remains high, with the largest emitters still failing to reverse overall trends. To limit catastrophic warming effects, the world must accelerate emissions reductions and decouple from fossil fuel dependency.